Objectives: To determine if placement of urethral suspension stitches during radical retropubic prostatectomy improves postoperative urinary continence. Methods: Between January 1997 and January 1998 we performed radical retropubic prostatectomy on 50 men. The first 25 consecutive men had their surgery without urethral suspension stitches while the next 25 received placement of two anastomotic urethral suspension stitches anchored to the lower portion of the pubic bone. Patients were interviewed six months postoperatively and each underwent valsalva leak-point pressure measurement. Patients were categorized as either completely continent (requiring no pads and having no measurable valsalva leak point), socially continent (zero or one pad per day), or incontinent (two or more pads per day). Results: In the urethral suspension group, 8/25 (32%) patients were completely continent and did not have a measurable valsalva leak-point pressure while 3/25 (12%) without urethral suspension were completely continent. Of the remaining patients in the urethral suspension group, 13/17 (76%) patients were socially continent while 4/17 (24%) were incontinent. The mean valsalva leak-point pressure in the 17 patients with suspension stitches was 89.6 ± 21.6 cm H2O. In the patients without urethral suspension, there were 22 patients who had some degree of incontinence. Among non-stitch patients, 13/22 (59%) were socially continent while 9/22 (41%) were incontinent. The average valsalva leak-point pressure in these patients was 74.0 ± 16.7 cm H2O, which was significantly lower than those with the suspension (p = 0.015). Conclusion: Placement of anastomotic urethral suspension stitches during radical retropubic prostatectomy may increase the likelihood of complete postoperative urinary continence. The urethral suspension stitches also increase valsalva leak-point pressure, which may improve the percentage of patients with socially acceptable incontinence.

Keywords:
Incontinence, Radical retropubic prostatectomy, Urethral suspension stitches, Valsalva leak-point pressures, Localized prostate cancer
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel
2002
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.