Instantly after radical prostatectomy (a surgery done to remove the prostate gland), as many as 75 % of men may experience a short period of slight incontinence, especially after removing the catheter that was placed while performing the surgery. This was to be expected and, in the overwhelming most of the men, is a temporary situation. Most men get back urinary control without performing any treatment. The most major improvement that occurs in the first 3 months after the surgery and it continues for about 1 year. Generally within 6 months of their surgery, most of the men may be continent and not concerned by urinary leakage. For a little percentage of men who may continue to have moderate or mild urinary leakage, improvement will be seen even after a year when surgery was done.
There are 2 major kinds of urinary incontinence occurs in men after RP.
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Urgency incontinence was when you may feel the “urge” to urinate but you can’t make it to the toilet in that time. This is usually because of bladder spasms and generally responds to medical therapy. This type of incontinence is to be mostly because of the changes in the way the bladder responds after surgery.
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Stress urinary incontinence (SUI), was leakage of urine along with exertion or effort and may happen when you change position, cough, sneeze, lift something heavy, exercise or swing a golf club. This kind of incontinence can be due to the damage to external sphincter muscle as described previously. Almost in all men there will be some degree of SUI instantly after catheter removal, and you will be given some instructions on how to do pelvic floor exercises to improve urinary control.
Luckily, there are different ways to treat incontinence that was caused by prostate surgery. For instance, there are medicines or behavioral exercises and techniques like Kegel exercises and biofeedback that educate men how to hold the urine.
These methods may help men who are having mild to moderate leakage. In men who are having more severe leakage problems they may need for another surgery.
