Objectives: To evaluate subacute and chronic pelvic pain after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) performed for clinically localized prostate cancer.
Methods: Twenty-four consecutive patients undergoing RRP completed pain, quality-of-life, and incontinence questionnaires. They also wore pads for 24 hours to measure urine loss objectively before and after surgery.
Results: Three patients had pelvic pain preoperatively. Thirteen, 7, and 5 patients had pelvic pain at 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively, after RRP. At 6 months, none of the 5 patients with pelvic pain required analgesic medication. There was a strong relationship between pain and cancer worry, as well as between pain and incontinence.
Conclusions: Many patients have subacute pelvic pain after RRP but improve over time. Severe chronic pain is unlikely after RRP.