Abstract
Background:
Wide variation exists between methods of assessment of urinary function following laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP).
Objective:
To assess post-operative urinary function and quality of life (QOL) after LRP using validated questionnaires and compare these results with subjective assessments obtained during outpatient consultations.
Design, setting and participants:
Between January 2004 and December 2009, 200 men with organ-confined prostate cancer underwent LRP at our centre. Post-operative urinary function and QOL were evaluated using validated questionnaires (ICIQ-MLUTS and FACT-P). Data regarding urinary function, which were collected at the outpatient clinic (OPC), were also available for these 112 patients.
Outcome measurements and statistical analysis:
Objective post-operative urinary function obtained from validated questionnaires using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to evaluate the impact of urinary symptoms on QOL.
Results and limitations:
Based on the validated questionnaires, 75% (75/112) of patients had low incontinence scores (0 to 8/24) at a mean follow-up of 37 months. On subjective assessment at the OPC, 82% (92/112) of patients were considered dry (pad free). The majority of patients had a high QOL score (109–156), indicating good quality of life. Urinary symptoms’ severity was significantly correlated with QOL, where severe symptoms were associated with lower QOL. A literature search revealed wide discrepancies in the assessment of functional outcomes following LRP rendering comparison between studies extremely difficult.
Conclusions:
The functional outcomes of LRP vary depending on the assessment used. There continues to be a lack of congruity between the methodologies used in the literature and few studies published have used validated questionnaires.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.