Effect of Radical Prostatectomy on Involuntary Pelvic Floor Muscle Contraction

Radical prostatectomy may cause stress urinary incontinence (SUI). That poses problem in terms of quality of life. There are many treatment options available for patients with SUI, but the exact mechanism is not known. We compared, in continent and incontinent men post-radical prostatectomy, the correlation between the temporal course of pelvic floor activation during cough. Simultaneously, recordings of electromyographic activity of external anal sphincter (EAS EMG) and external intercostal muscle (EIC EMG) during coughing will be made with a pair of pre-gelled electrodes. Cough effort cause an involuntary pelvic contraction. Intercostals muscles recording was chosen because they are one of the muscular components of cough initiation with diaphragm muscle. 24h pad-weighing test is used to quantify urinary incontinence. We will measure the latency between the onset of the EIC EMG and the EAS EMG (RT3), during a cough effort. We will also measure the duration of the contraction, the maximum EAS EMG activity and the area under the curve.