title: The natural history of penile length after radical prostatectomy: a long-term prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the penile length after radical prostatectomy (RP) in a long-term follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated prospectively the penile length of 105 patients with localized prostate cancer treated by open RP. Participants using therapy for penile rehabilitation were excluded from statistical analysis. Measurements of the stretched penis were taken preoperatively and at 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months postoperatively. The International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) questionnaire was used to evaluate erectile function. The penile anthropometric measure used was the stretched length of the flaccid penis, from the pubopenile skin angle to the end of the glans, after the prepubic fat was depressed under maximum manual traction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean stretched penile length 3 months after RP decreased an average of 1 cm from baseline (P <.001). This mean difference persisted until 24 months. At 36 months, the penile length differed 0.6 cm. At 48 months (-0.3 cm) and 60 months (+0.4 cm), the mean differences in penile length before and after RP were not significant (P = .080 and P = .065, respectively). Erectile function was a predictor for early return of penile length.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nearly 1 cm of penile shortening after RP may be expected up to 12 months. However, a trend toward recovery of penile length occurs after 24 months of follow-up and is completely re-established after 48 months. The preserved erectile function after RP is a predictor for penile length recovery.
authors.affiliation: Service of Urology, Pedro Ernesto Memorial Hospital, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Souza
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Rui Teófilo
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Fabio Luis Branco
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Ronaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Damião
authors.forename: Eloisio Alexsandro
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010410:Penile Erection; D010413:Penis / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D020127:Recovery of Function