title: Ability to Reach Orgasm in Patients With Prostate Cancer Treated With Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the ability to reach orgasm after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) in relation to demographic, cancer-related, and surgical variables, and the use of erectile aids.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study at a mean of 3 years after RALP at Oslo University Hospital, 982 men were invited to complete a mailed questionnaire, and 777 responded. Respondents who reported postoperative radiotherapy or hormone treatment, or did not report on orgasm were omitted, leaving 609 patients for analysis. Ability to reach orgasm was rated on 1 question from The Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite 26-item version, and dichotomized into "good" or "poor."
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 27% of the men reported good ability to reach orgasm: 22% among those did not use erectile aids and 34% among those did (P = .001). Univariate analysis of men with good versus poor ability to reach orgasm showed many significant differences. In multivariate analysis, being older, having a reduced physical quality of life, and erectile dysfunction were significantly associated with poor ability to reach orgasm. Erectile dysfunction showed an odds ratio of 4.86 for poor orgasmic ability. The 48% of men who used erectile aids had significantly better orgasmic ability than the nonusers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our sample, 27% had good ability to reach orgasm at a mean of 3 years after RALP. Poor orgasmic ability was associated with being older, poor erectile function, and a reduced physical quality of life. Using erectile aids increased the rate of good ability to reach orgasm.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Østby-Deglum
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Oslo University Hospital, Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Department of Urology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.
authors.forename: Karol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Axcrona
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Oslo University Hospital, Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brennhovd
authors.affiliation: National Advisory Unit for Late Effects after Cancer Therapy, Oslo University Hospital, Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway; University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: a.a.dahl@ibv.uio.no.
authors.forename: Alv A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Dahl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009948:Orgasm; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures