Dissociation between patients and their partners in expectations for sexual life after radical prostatectomy

To analyze expectations for sexual life after radical prostatectomy in patients and their partners, and its influence on sexual motivation and bothers in the postoperative period.

A total of 162 patients who underwent retropubic radical prostatectomy and their partners were evaluated. The patients' sexual function, sexual bother and expectations for postoperative sexual life were assessed prospectively at baseline, and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after radical prostatectomy. The partner was asked questions about postoperative sexual life before the operation. Sexual function and sexual bother were evaluated by the University of California Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index. Expectations for postoperative sexual life were studied using three ad hoc questions.

The rate of having sexual intercourse and adequate penile rigidity for vaginal penetration at baseline was 29.0% and 21.6%, respectively. A significantly higher rate of patients considered "sexual life is important" (patient 35.2%, partner 13.0%), hoped for "preservation of erectile function" (patient 66.0%, partner 33.3%) and accepted "use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor" (patient 65.4%, partner 43.2%) compared with their partners (P < 0.001). Patients who had partners with a negative sexual attitude lost sexual motivation 1 year after operation. However, patients with cooperative partners maintained sexual motivation, although they felt greater sexual bother 1 year after radical prostatectomy.

There was a significant dissociation in perspectives of postoperative sexual life between patients undergoing radical prostatectomy and their partners. Partners' low expectations are associated with patients' low sexual bother and motivation. Partners' cooperative attitude might contribute to maintaining patients' sexual desire and motivation.