Cine magnetic resonance imaging provides novel predictors of early continence recovery after radical prostatectomy: Assessment of the dynamics of pelvic floor muscles

Aims Postprostatectomy incontinence is a major complication of prostatectomy. Although pelvic floor muscle training can successfully treat postprostatectomy incontinence, evidence for how muscle movement affects continence recovery is lacking. We evaluated dynamic factors of prostatectomy patients using cine magnetic resonance imaging to identify risk factors for postprostatectomy incontinence and reveal the contribution of pelvic floor muscles to continence recovery. Methods A total of 128 prostate cancer patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery were enrolled. Cine magnetic resonance imaging was performed preoperatively and 6 months after surgery. Continence was defined as pad-free or use of safety pads. We defined the bladder neck elevation distance during pelvic floor muscle training as the bladder elevation distance. Patients with continence recovery within 1 month comprised the continence group (n = 48); other patients comprised the incontinence group (n = 80). Results The preoperative bladder elevation distance was significantly longer in the continence group than in the incontinence group (10.4 vs. 8.2 mm;p < .001). The postoperative bladder elevation distance of the continence group tended to be longer (9.9 vs. 8.9 mm;p = .057). Multivariate analysis showed that the preoperative bladder elevation distance significantly contributed to continence recovery (p = .016). Patients with a longer preoperative bladder elevation distance (>8.5 mm) experienced continence recovery significantly faster than patients with a shorter distance (<8.5mm) (p = .038). Conclusions Bladder elevation distance, a novel dynamic parameter, was strongly associated with early continence recovery. Cine magnetic resonance imaging can assess a patient's risk of postprostatectomy incontinence and guide pelvic floor muscle training.