[Urinary continence following laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: qualitative analysis]

The main purpose of this study was to report urinary continence after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) for localised prostate cancer and the return to baseline rate for urinary continence. The minor purpose was to determine the risk factors, which influence return to baseline urinary continence after radical prostatectomy.

Prospective evaluation of urinary continence with self-administered questionnaire in 300 consecutive LRP for localized prostate cancer.

After LRP, at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively 12.5%, 23% and 33.7% of patients recover baseline urinary continence. Fifty-four percent, 72.3% and 78.4% of patients did not wear pads 3, 6 and 12 months after LRP. In patients without pad, 43 % recovered baseline continence one year after radical prostatectomy. In univariate analysis, age older than 60 years (P=0.003, P=0.003, P=0.02, 3, 6 and 12 months after LRP) and no sparing of neurovascular bundles (P=0.01, P=0.08 at 3 and 6 months after LRP) were risks factors of urinary incontinence. In multivariate analysis, only age older than 60 years (P=0.018, P=0.01 and P=0.01 at 3, 6 and 12 months after LRP) was a risk factor of urinary incontinence.

One year after LRP, 66.3% of patients had urinary incontinence according to our evaluation using stringent criteria, i.e. return to baseline continence status. However, only 21.6% of patients wore pads and less than 2% wore more than two pads per day.