Suspension technique improves rapid recovery of urinary continence following radical retropubic prostatectomy

Kurume Med J. 2004;51(3-4):245-51. doi: 10.2739/kurumemedj.51.245.

Abstract

We investigated whether a suspension technique of vesicourethral anastomosis with pubo-prostatic ligaments improved urinary continence following radical retropubic prostatectomy. The suspension of vesicourethral anastomosis was performed in 55 consecutive patients with clinically localized prostate cancer by placement of two stitches, which were anchored to pubo-prostatic ligaments preserving their anterior attachments to the pubic bone. Continence rates, positive rates of surgical margins, and complications in these patients after radical prostatectomy were compared with the results of 30 randomly selected patients in whom a suspension technique was not performed. There were no significant differences in the positive rates of either surgical margins or complications between these two groups. In contrast, continence rates in the suspension group at one and three months (75% and 89%) were significantly higher than those (13% [p<0.001] and 67% [p<0.01]) of the control group. The suspension technique appears to have an advantage in immediate recovery of urinary continence following radical retropubic prostatectomy.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications / prevention & control*
  • Prostatectomy / adverse effects
  • Prostatectomy / methods*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Urinary Bladder / surgery
  • Urinary Incontinence / prevention & control*