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Is There Any Change in Pelvic Floor Electromyography During the First 6 Months After Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy?

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine electromyographic pelvic floor muscles activity during the first 6 months post RRP and its relationship to urinary continence. Thirty-eight men (mean age of 63.1 ± 5.7 year) with prostate cancer scheduled for open radical retropubic prostatectomy were evaluated. Exclusion criteria: pelvic radiotherapy, systemic or neurologic diseases, pre-operative International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) >7 and OABq ≥8. Surface electromyography (sEMG) evaluation, IPSS, Urinary Distress Inventory, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, and Overactive Bladder Questionnaire—short form were applied before and at 1, 3, and 6 months after RRP. Six months after surgery, 18 men (47.4 %) presented urinary leakage. The sEMG evaluations within the first 6 months presented changes in fast contraction amplitude (p = 0.006), rest amplitude after fast contraction (p = 0.04), 10 s sustained contraction mean amplitude (p = 0.024) and final rest amplitude (p = 0.011). We observed that continent and incontinent patients as a group presented electromyographic changes during the first 6 months after radical prostatectomy that could be justified by the denervation/reinnervation of the external urethral sphincter. This finding is consistent with the adaptation of the pelvic floor musculature to the new urethral sphincter condition following surgery.

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Abbreviations

EMG:

Electromyography

IIQ 7:

Incontinence Impact Questionnaire

IPSS:

International Prostate Symptoms Score

LUTS:

Lower urinary tract symptoms

OABq-SF:

Overactive Bladder Questionnaire—short form

PFM:

Pelvic floor muscles

RRP:

Radical retropubic prostatectomy

sEMG:

Surface electromyography

UDI 6:

Urinary distress inventory

UI:

Urinary incontinence

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Prof. Dr. Gilberto M. Manzano for his valuable assistance during the development of the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology – Female Urology and Voiding Dysfunction, Federal University of São Paulo – UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil

    Claudia R. Hacad, João Paulo C. Zambon, Juliana S. Burti & Fernando G. Almeida

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY, USA

    Howard I. Glazer

Authors
  1. Claudia R. Hacad
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  2. Howard I. Glazer
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  3. João Paulo C. Zambon
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  4. Juliana S. Burti
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  5. Fernando G. Almeida
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Correspondence to Claudia R. Hacad.

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Hacad, C.R., Glazer, H.I., Zambon, J.P.C. et al. Is There Any Change in Pelvic Floor Electromyography During the First 6 Months After Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy?. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 40, 9–15 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-015-9271-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-015-9271-3

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