title: Simple method to predict return of continence after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  After removal of the Foley catheter after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), recovery of continence can take days to months. We sought to identify a simple means to predict time to recovery of postoperative continence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preoperative characteristics on 172 men who were undergoing RARP were entered into an electronic database. All men were queried via telephone and/or returned a 7-day log of pad use. Men without need for pads were excluded (n=41). At 4 to 7 days, responses were grouped as: one pad (n=55), two pads (n=35), or three or more pads (n=41). Patients returned self-addressed postcards noting the date of 0-pad urinary status. Univariate and multivariate analysis of variables were assessed for ability to predict time to continence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No preoperative factors, such as age, International Index of Erectile Function-5, prostate-specific antigen level, American Urological Association symptom score, body mass index, uroflowmetry, nerve-sparing status, estimated blood loss, or prostate weight, were found to predict time to continence. Pad use at 4 to 7 days, however, was highly correlated with median time to continence. The median time to continence for men using one pad was 35 days, two pads was 42 days, and for three or more pads was 73 days (P=0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As has been previously reported, we found no reliable baseline factors that predicted postoperative time to 0-pad continence. We did find that determining pad usage at 4 to 7 days after catheter removal strongly predicted time to pad-free continence. This method is simpler then pad weights, predicts high- and low-risk men for delayed continence, and can be used for counseling/intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of California, Irvine, Orange, California 92868, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skarecky
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahlering
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D016496:Incontinence Pads; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D012371:Robotics; D013997:Time Factors; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000601:surgery*