title: Incontinence and vesical neck strictures following radical retropubic prostatectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence and severity of vesical neck strictures and urinary incontinence after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) for prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between August 1983 and December 1991, 481 consecutive patients underwent RRP by 1 of 2 senior surgeons. Strictures were treated by passing a urethral sound. Incontinence was measured by asking patients for a daily "pad count" of pads required to control urinary leakage. Results were compared to patient age, tumor volume, number of neurovascular bundles spared, preoperative urinary complaints, and previous transurethral resection of the prostate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 456 patients with adequate follow-up to determine stricture formation, 82.5% had no strictures, 6.8% required a single dilation, 3.7% required 2 dilations, 3.1% required 3 dilations, and 3.9% required more than 3 dilations. Risk of stricture formation was unrelated to every variable studied. Of 458 patients with adequate follow-up to determine recovery of continence, 80.1% required no pads, 8.1% required 1 to 2 pads a day, 6.6% required 3 to 5 pads a day, and 5.2% were totally incontinent 1 year or more after surgery. Incontinence was closely associated with postoperative urinary urgency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strictures are a common but easily managed complication of RRP for prostate cancer. Despite substantial surgical experience, we report a somewhat higher rate of postoperative incontinence than other recently reported series. Our experience is more closely matched by published surveys of patient-reported complications after RRP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Geary
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Dendinger
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Freiha
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Stamey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004106:Dilatation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology