From August 1985 to January 1989, 100 patients were treated with radical nerve-sparing prostatectomy with epidural anaesthesia. Transrectal ultrasound evaluation was available for most of these patients. Using the anatomical techniques of early dorsal vein ligation, hypogastric artery control and epidural anaesthesia, blood loss was minimised and 55 patients required no transfusions. In addition, with the use of ultrasound, PSA determination and pelvic CAT scan, 73 of these 100 patients had organ-confined disease; 66 patients were potent pre-operatively and 42 are potent post-operatively.