An anterior urethral stitch improves urinary incontinence following radical prostatectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of an anterior urethral stitch, referred to as an endopelvic anterior urethral stitch (EAUS), in reducing recovery time for post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence.


METHODS
The urinary continence recovery time for 24 patients, who received a retropubic radical prostatectomy with the EAUS procedure, was compared to that of a historical control series of 22 patients without EAUS. The EAUS is a simple 2-0 polyglactin stitch placed between the bunched dorsal vein complex and the anterior urethra. This procedure was performed at the time of urethro-vesical anastomosis. Continence recovery time was defined as the day after removal of the urethral catheter when the patient no longer required pads for incontinence.


RESULTS
A significantly shorter time for continence recovery (median 8.5 days) was obtained in EAUS patients compared with that of the control series (median 72 days) (P < 0.0001). Early recovery of continence was observed in 12/24 patients (50%) within 1 week and 18/24 patients (75%) within 1 month in EAUS patients. No adverse effects or complications were observed in the EAUS patients.


CONCLUSIONS
A surgical procedure, the EAUS, has been developed that reduces urinary incontinence in patients who have undergone a radical prostatectomy. This procedure is simple and quick and improves recovery of continence without any side-effects.
Sugimura
Y
Y
Department of Urology, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. ysugimur@aichi-cc.pref.aichi.jp
Hioki
T
T
Yamada
Y
Y
Fumino
M
M
Inoue
T
T
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014521:Urethra; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*