Quality of life after non-nerve-sparing, robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

To evaluate quality of life (QOL) after non-nerve-sparing, robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and factors associated with worsened QOL.

Patients who underwent non-nerve-sparing RARP (n = 115) were enrolled. The Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite and 8-item Short Form Health Survey were used to evaluate QOL at baseline and postoperative 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Preoperative factors were evaluated by multivariate analysis for worsened QOL.

Postoperative 24-month urinary QOL worsened in 68 of 115 (59%) patients. In multivariate analysis, membranous urethral length ≥10.8 mm [odds ratio (OR): .26, 95% confidence interval (CI): .07-.96] and intravesical prostatic protrusion ≥12 mm (OR: .14, 95% CI .06-.35) were significantly associated with maintaining postoperative 24-month urinary QOL. Significantly more patients with intravesical prostatic protrusion ≥12 mm than < 12 mm had improved urinary QOL. At postoperative 24 months, 43 of 115 (38%) patients had worsened sexual QOL. In multivariate analysis, higher Sexual Health Inventory for Men score (OR: 8.39, 95% CI 2.28-30.9), sexual activity (OR: 6.94, 95% CI: 2.27-21.2), and intercourse activity (OR: 6.81, 95% CI: 1.64-28.3) preoperatively were significantly associated with worsened postoperative 24-month sexual QOL. More patients with high preoperative intercourse activity (12/23,53%) had significantly worsened (p = .009) QOL regarding sexual bother than those who had no preoperative intercourse activity (21/92, 23%).

After non-nerve-sparing RARP, patients with long membranous urethral length and/or intravesical prostatic protrusion maintain urinary QOL. Patients with high intercourse activity presented with impairment of sexual QOL after non-nerve-sparing RARP.