Significance of postoperative membranous urethral length and position of vesicourethral anastomosis for short-term continence recovery following robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND: We assess whether short-term recovery of urinary incontinence following robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) is associated with postoperative membranous urethral length (MUL) and position of vesico-urethral anastomosis (PVUA). METHODS: Clinical variables including PVUA and pre-and postoperative MUL were evaluated in 251 patients who underwent RARP from August 2019 to February 2021. Continence recovery was defined as no pad or one security liner per day assessed by patient interview at least 6 months follow-up. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess variables associated with continence recovery at 3 months after the operation. RESULTS: Continence recovery rates at 3 and 6 months were 75% and 84%, respectively. Lower BMI (< 25 kg/m2) (p = 0.040), longer preoperative MUL (≥ 9.5 mm) (p = 0.013), longer postoperative MUL (≥ 9 mm) (p < 0.001), higher PVUA (< 14.5 mm) (p = 0.019) and shorter operating time (< 170 min) (p = 0.013) were significantly associated with continence recovery at 3 months in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that postoperative MUL (OR 3.75, 95% CI 1.90-7.40, p < 0.001) and higher PVUA (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.07-3.82, p = 0.032) were independent factors for continence recovery. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the multivariate analysis, with urinary continence recovery rates found to have increased in turn with rates of 43.7% versus 68.2% versus 85.0% (p < 0.001) at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: PVUA and postoperative MUL were significant factors for short-term continence recovery. Preservation of urethral length might contribute to continence recovery after RARP.