POGP CONFERENCE 2018 Is (p)rehabilitation effective for men undergoing prostatectomy?

Author(s): C. Bourne & J. Constable - Pages: 27-35

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and 4500 radical retropubic prostatectomies (RRPs) are performed in the UK every year. The most common symptoms after surgery are urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Prehabilitation promotes the strengthening of the pelvic floor in the absence of pain or incontinence. Pelvic health physiotherapists are assisting in prehabilitation and rehabilitation by teaching pelvic floor muscle exercises to men undergoing RRP. Thorough assessment prior to surgery is essential because this helps to guide postoperative prognosis. The research into whether (p)rehabilitation is effective for reducing these symptoms in the postoperative period is mixed; however, the best outcomes occur with a combination of both, with a bias towards prehabilitation. Ensuring that follow-up with the patient continues until continence is achieved, along with return to sport, is important because men undergoing surgery have a desire to return to a higher level of function.

Keywords: pelvic floor muscle exercises, prehabilitation, prostatectomy, rehabilitation.