TAIPEI, TAIWAN (UroToday.com) - Researchers from UT Southwestern sought to answer a simple question in robotic prostatectomy (RALP): Is a post-operative suprapubic tube superior to a urethral catheter with regards to pain and satisfaction?
In their retrospective review of 132 patients who underwent RALP, they analyzed patient satisfaction questionnaires completed on post-operative day (POD) 7. Eighty-four of the patients had the urethral catheter removed at 7-10 days post-operative, and 48 patients had the urethral catheter removed on POD 1 and a suprapubic catheter (placed intraoperatively) left in place. It was capped at POD 9-10 and removed 1-2 days later.
Penile pain, bladder spasm, and difficulty with the urinary drainage device were assessed.
Dr. Antonelli, in an interview, emphasized that significantly less penile pain is a great reason to consider this approach. Penile pain was, in fact, significantly improved with the SP tube, although the other variables had no difference between the groups.
Presented by Aaron Lay,1 Monica S.C. Morgan,1 Selahattin Bedhir,2 Asim Ozayar,1 Claus G. Roehrborn,1 Jeffrey A. Cadeddu,1 and Jodi A. Antonelli1 at the 32nd World Congress of Endourology & SWL - September 3 - 7, 2014 - Taipei, Taiwan
1 University of Texas Southwestern, Department of Urology, USA
2 Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Department of Urology
Written by Adam Kaplan,MD, chief resident, Department of Urology, School of Medicine, University of California-Irvine, and medical writer for UroToday.com
