OBJECTIVETo confirm urinary incontinence after radical retro-pubic prostatectomy by questionnaire and pad-test, observe the influence of radical prostatectomy on the patient's quality of life (QOL), and study the effect of urethral sphincter preservation and the patient's age on incontinence.

METHODSQuestionnaire and pad-test were conducted in 165 consecutive prostate cancer patients who underwent radical prostatectomies. The mean follow-up time was 13 months (12-14 months). Each patient was kept in contact with our incontinence advisor by telephone or direct interview. At 12 months after operation, the patients were asked to the clinic to fill in the questionnaire and underwent the pad-test. In accordance to different operative techniques, the patients were divided into a sphincter repairing group (19 cases) and a sphincter preservation group (146 cases).

RESULTSAll the 165 patients were kept in contact with us, underwent the pad-test and filled in the questionnaire. Of the 7 patients diagnosed as incontinence for admitting using pads, only 1 had urinary leakage, and the other 6, who did not use pads very often, showed slight change of QOL. In the pad-test, 5 patients were considered to be incontinent since the pad weight gained > 1 grams. Between the questionnaire and the pad-test there was a high concordant rate (98.8%). Within 3 months after operation, younger patients seemed to return to continence sooner. The continence rate at 12 months after operation was 99.3% in the sphincter preservation group and 94.7% in the sphincter-repairing group. The incontinence rates at the removal of the urinary catheter after operation were 60% and 82% in patients aged 51-60 and 61-70, respectively. At 3 months after operation, the incontinence rates were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONBoth the questionnaire and the pad-test are recommendable in the assessment of post-operative incontinence since it can accurately document patients' incontinent status. Preservation of the urethral sphincter and its possible innervations can improve the incontinence rate. Younger patients seem to return to continence sooner than the elders.