title: Rehabilitation therapy and urinary incontinence after radical retropubic prostatectomy. A critical review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess the efficacy and evidence-based data in the literature about rehabilitation therapy in patients with post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence.
  
  
  METHODS
  An analysis of published full-length papers identified by a Medline search from 1990 through 2004 was carried out. Abstracts published in peer-reviewed journals in the same period of time were also considered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Efficacy, tolerability and safety of rehabilitation therapy were evaluated, according to the available data in the literature, with special regard to randomized controlled trials in order to define a clear-cut, evidence-based efficacy of this form of therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rehabilitation therapy is a simple and safe way of managing post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence. Nonetheless, few randomized controlled studies have been carried out so far to establish its evidence-based efficacy and it is thus not possible to be scientifically sure of its value. It is therefore necessary to undertake well-designed randomized controlled studies, with a large number of patients, a well-matched control group and an adequate follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. domeviol@inwind.it
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Viola
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Comerci
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martorana
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*