To review and characterize two groups of men who report being pad-free after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RLRP): those with occasional incontinence and those with complete control.

The study included 106 out of a total of 195 men who underwent RLRP. Inclusion requirements were adequate follow-up and no-pad continence status. All patients completed self-administered American Urological Association symptom score (AUAss) and continence questionnaires and underwent measurement of peak urinary flow rates, postvoid residual volumes, and voided volumes (VV) before and 3 months after surgery. All data and standard clinical characteristics were entered prospectively into an electronic database.

Two distinct groups reported wearing no pads: the “perfect” group (n = 32) reported never leaking, and the “imperfect” group (n = 74) reported occasional leakage but did not wear pads. Preoperatively, the “imperfect” group was older (62.2 versus 59 years) and had more urinary symptoms (all P <0.05). Postoperatively, the “imperfect” group took longer to achieve a pad-free status (median 39.8 versus 19.3 days), had larger prostates (mean 50.9 versus 43.2 g), had lower VV (324 versus 405 mL), and more urinary symptoms (AUAss 7.4 versus 4.3; all P <0.05).

Sixty-nine percent of men who attain “pad-free continence” after RLRP have occasional urinary leakage. Preoperatively, these men are characteristically older and have larger prostates, AUAss, and bother scores. Postoperatively, the “imperfect” group takes longer to achieve pad-free status and has smaller bladder capacities and more urinary symptoms. These results suggest that an overactive detrusor is the likely contributing etiology.