Impact of preoperative biofeedback on incontinence in cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy

Post-radical prostatectomy incontinence is mainly attributable to iatrogenic verify the importance of preoperative biofeedback (BFB) in an attempt to identify a strategy to improve postoperative urinary incontinence.

Ninety candidates (median age 68 years: range 49-75) for radical retropubic prostatectomy were evaluated. Forty-five patients underwent preoperative pelvic floor training (PFT) and BFB, whereas the remaining 45 (control group) had preoperative PFT only. Patients started PFT exercises two weeks before surgery and continued during the immediate postoperative period, after catheter removal (6-7 days after surgery), and thereafter at home. No adjuvant therapy was administered and all 90 patients were assessed at follow up visits timed 1, 3 and 6 months post surgery.

Patients who were completely dry and without use of pads were defined as continent. At the 1-month follow-up, 6.6% (3/45) of both the PFT+BFB group and the PFT only arm were continent. After 3 months, the continence rate had increased to 33.3% (15/45) and 26.6% (12/45), respectively, and at 6-month follow-up, this percentage had further risen to 71.1% (32/45) in the former group and 66.6% (30/45) in the latter group. No significant differences were observed between the two arms during follow-up, but there was a statistically significant correlation between follow-up time and continence improvement in each group.

Preoperative BFB associated with PFT does not significantly influence urinary continence recovery after radical prostatectomy.