title: When and how should we test the tightness of the vesicourethral anastomosis after retropubic radical prostatectomy?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine when the vesicourethral anastomosis (VUA) becomes tight after retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) and if an additional lateral view cystography provides significantly more information than the only anterior-posterior view.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pressure-controlled cystography with anterior-posterior and lateral views was performed on postoperative days (POD) 3, 6 and 9 and evaluated in 100 consecutive patients after RRP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On POD 3, 6 and 9, 82, 80 and 82% of all VUA, respectively, were tight. 85% of all tight VUA on POD 3 remained tight on POD 6 and 9. Of the 52 extravasations in a total of 300 cystographies, 65% were recognizable in the anterior-posterior as well as in the lateral view cystography, 6% were seen only in the anterior-posterior view and 29% only in the lateral view.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The VUA after RRP is tight in about 80% of the cases on POD 3, 6 and 9. A tight VUA on POD 3 does not exclude later extravasation on POD 6 and 9 (14%). About one third (29%) of all extravasations of VUA are seen only in the lateral view cystography after RRP.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Urologie, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland. agomat@gmx.ch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mattei
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Z'brun
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stucki
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Di Pierro
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Danuser
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011312:Pressure; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D013997:Time Factors; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology