The predictors of short and long term urinary continence recovery after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a single cancer center report in China

Purpose: To evaluate the predictors for short and long term urinary continence (UC) recovery after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) from clinical and oncological variables. Methods: We retrospectively collected data from 142 prostate cancer patients who underwent LRP between September 2014 and June 2021 at a tumor specialist diagnosis and treatment center in China. The rate of post-prostatectomy incontinence (PPI) was evaluated from final rehabilitation reports after catheter extraction and at 3, 6 and 12 mo after LRP, and UC was defined as the use of no or one safety pad. Eighteen clinical and oncological variables were analyzed by univariate and multivariate regression analysis to determine whether they were associated with short (3 mo) or long term (12 mo) UC recovery after LRP. Results: After eliminating patients who were lost to follow-up, 129 patients were eventually included. The mean ± SD age was 68 ± 6.3 years. The UC rates of immediate catheter removal, 3, 6 and 12 mo after the operation were 27.9%, 54.3%, 75.2% and 88.4%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that membranous urethral length (MUL) was a protective predictor of UC after catheter extraction [odds ratio (OR) 1.77; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37–2.28; P  < 0.001], and at 3 mo (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.63–3.10; P  < 0.001), 6 mo (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.20–1.80; P  < 0.001) and 12 mo (OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.11–2.04; P  = 0.009) after surgery. Conclusion: MUL is a significant independent factor that can contribute to recovery of short and long term UC recovery post-LRP, which may assist clinicians and their patients in counseling of treatment. .