OBJECTIVETo assess the effect of bladder neck preservation (BNP) on postoperative continence during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

METHODSOne hundred and forty-five patients with localized prostate cancer (Tlb-T2c) underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in our center from July 2006 to May 2010, including 59 cases treated with bladder neck preservation (BNP group) and 86 cases with bladder neck resection (non-BNP group). All cases were diagnosed as prostate cancer by transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate biopsy preoperatively, in which localized tumors were confirmed by CT or MRI and distant metastases were ruled out by ECT bone scan. All patients had no history of incontinence and no radiation therapy preoperatively. All the 145 operations were performed by the same surgeon. The bladder neck preservation was defined as a procedure of direct suturing of the bladder neck on the urethra without repair and reconstruction of the bladder neck. Both procedures of neurovascular bundle preservation and external striated urethral sphincter preservation were carried out on all cases. Urinary continence was evaluated using the International Continence Society questionnaire at 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Positive surgical margins rates were compared between the two groups. Postoperative continence was defined as the absence of need for pads or the use of one pad daily.

RESULTSAt 1, 3 and 6 months, the urinary continence rates were 42.4%, 74.6% and 86.4% in BNP group, respectively, while 25.6%, 58.1% and 80.2% in non-BNP group, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in continence at 1 and 3 months between two groups (P <0.05), while no significant differences were observed at 6 months postoperatively (P=0.331). There were no significant differences in overall rate of positive surgical margins between two groups (10.1% Compared with 10.4% P=0.954) and both groups had one case with positive surgical margins at bladder neck.

CONCLUSIONBladder neck preservation during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is helpful for postoperative continence without increase of positive surgical margins rate.