[Results of electric stimulation in the treatment of post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence]

Abstract

Clinical and urodynamic studies were conducted in 19 patients undergoing intrarectal electrostimulation due to post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence. It was corroborated that patients referring incontinence with isolated coughing presented better clinical outcome (80% positive results) than those who also referred urgency-incontinence (44%). Patients with stress incontinence showed positive clinical results post-stimulation in 78% cases. Patients with vesical instability, in 40% cases and patients with mixed incontinence, in 60%. In contrast, elimination of vesical instability was urodynamically proven in 60% cases, but in only 22% with stress incontinence. In mixed incontinence (instability + stress) the instability persisted only in 20% while stress incontinence persisted in 80% cases. The above data would advocate electric stimulation as a therapeutical alternative in post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence.