title: Timing of Urinary Pad Exchanges Was the Most Important Factor Affecting Quality of Life in the Early Postoperative Period After Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of pad use for postprostatectomy incontinence on urinary quality of life (QoL) after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) in the early postoperative period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety patients underwent RARP simultaneously completed International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and modified pad use questionnaire that evaluated pad use and urinary QoL and a 24-hour pad test. Pad use was also assessed by pad form, pad size, the number of pad exchanges per day, and the timing of pad exchanges (i.e., to what extent the pad was wet when the patients exchanged it.). The investigation involved patients visiting the outpatient clinic for the first time after RARP. The association between pad use and urinary QoL was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean frequency of pad exchanges was 2±2/day. The mean 24-hour pad test was 139±193 g/day. Multivariate analyses revealed the timing of pad exchanges was significantly associated with QoL on the ICIQ-SF and the modified pad use questionnaire (P=0.007 and P<0.001, respectively) and the number of pad exchanges per day was significantly associated with QoL on the ICIQ-SF (P=0.01); QoL worsened with pad wetness and increasing frequency of pad exchange. The other factors relating to pad use were not significantly associated with aggravation of QoL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the early postoperative period after RARP, the timing of pad exchanges was the most important factor affecting QoL. Namely, patients with postprostatectomy incontinence should wear the appropriate size of pad according to the volume of urinary incontinence and exchange pads when the pad is not too wet. On the other hand, pad form, pad size, and volume of urinary incontinence were not associated with decreased QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine , Fukushima, Japan .
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine , Fukushima, Japan .
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yanagida
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine , Fukushima, Japan .
authors.forename: Michihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine , Fukushima, Japan .
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akaihata
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine , Fukushima, Japan .
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine , Fukushima, Japan .
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine , Fukushima, Japan .
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine , Fukushima, Japan .
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine , Fukushima, Japan .
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kojima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011467:Prostate / Q000601:surgery; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011469:Prostatic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation