Self-reported verbal assessment in the evaluation of urinary continence after 3D-laparoscopic prostatectomy: a single-centre prospective registered study

OBJECTIVE: To compare self-reported verbal assessment of safety-pad use with scores on the urinary incontinence domain of Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite-26 (UI-EPIC-26) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in the evaluation of post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence (PPI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 105 men underwent 3D-laparoscopic radical prostatectomy at Seinäjoki Central Hospital, Finland. Patients were classified into four urinary continence groups based on self-reported assessment of urinary continence (S-RUC): no pads, single daytime safety pad, ≥ 2 daytime pads (continent at night), or pads used day and night. Continence was assessed preoperatively and at 3, 12 and 24 months postoperatively using S-RUC, UI-EPIC-26 and VAS. Associations were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation. RESULTS: Baseline data were available for all 105 patients. Among 103 patients with postoperative S-RUC data, full continence (no pads) rates were 24.8, 64.1 and 65.7% at 3, 12 and 24 months, respectively. S-RUC showed strong correlations with UI-EPIC-26 (ρ = -0.84, -0.84 and -0.80) and VAS (ρ = -0.80, -0.65 and -0.66) at 3, 12 and 24 months, respectively (all p < 0.001). Baseline correlations were weaker. CONCLUSIONS: Simple verbal assessment of safety-pad use may provide a practical and clinically useful approach to assessing patient-perceived PPI in routine clinical follow-up.