Dynamics of male pelvic floor contractions through transperineal ultrasound imaging in continent and incontinent patients after radical prostatectomy.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men on this moment. Radical prostatectomy is since many years the gold standard for eradication of localized prostate cancer. Urinary incontinence however remains one of the most embarrassing complications after prostatectomy. This project aims to investigate the underlying causes of urinary incontinence by visualising the displacement of several points along the urethra, while contracting the pelvic floor, with transperineal ultrasound.

1. To investigate the intra- and interreliability of transperineal ultrasound measurements of the displacement of multiple points along the urethra in men after radical prostatectomy;

2. To compare the relative displacement of urethrovesical junction, anorectal junction and distal urethra during voluntary pelvic floor muscle contractions from preoperative to 3 months postoperative after radical prostatectomy;

3. To compare the relative displacement of urethrovesical junction, anorectal junction and distal urethra during voluntary pelvic floor muscle contractions between continent and incontinent men after radical prostatectomy.

Group 1 (continent men): Preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively;

Group 2 (incontinent men): Minimum 1 year postoperatively.

Both groups will have transperineal ultrasound.

Group 1: Patients who are planned for a radical prostatectomy will have a transperineal ultrasound of the displacement of multiple points along the urethra pre- and postoperatively.

Group 2: Patients who had a radical prostatectomy minimum one year before and are still incontinent will have a transperineal ultrasound of the displacement of the same multiple points along the urethra.