title: Pelvic floor electrical stimulation for postprostatectomy urinary incontinence: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of electrical stimulation (ES) in the recovery of postprostatectomy urinary incontinence (UI).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a meta-analysis of all available randomized controlled trials comparing ES enhanced pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) with PFMT alone for postprostatectomy UI. We separated in the analysis the continence rate within 3 months or longer than 6 months after operation, which stand for the early and late recovery of UI after operation, respectively. Relative risk (RR) reductions and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for categorical outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four studies randomizing 210 cases were included in the meta-analysis. Three studies enrolling 186 cases reported the continence rate within 3 months after radical prostatectomy. The pooled analysis did not show that ES improved early recovery of UI better than did PFMT (RR 1.21; 95% CI = 0.95-1.54, P = .12). All 4 studies provided data for 6-12 months after RP; the pooled analysis did not show a relative benefit (RR = 1.03; 95% CI = 0.88-1.20, P = .73).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on available evidence, ES enhanced PFMT did not improve the return to continence more than PFMT in men with postprostatectomy UI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fudan University, Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xu-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Shi-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Ding-Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Ye
mesh_terms: D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000628:therapy*