Pl. Chang et al., THE EARLY EFFECT OF PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLE EXERCISE AFTER TRANSURETHRAL PROSTATECTOMY, The Journal of urology, 160(2), 1998, pp. 402-405
Purpose: We evaluate the early effect of pelvic floor muscle exercise
on the frequency of urination, terminal dribbling, urinary incontinenc
e and satisfaction with life in patients after transurethral prostatec
tomy. Materials and Methods: From February to October 1996, 50 patient
s who had undergone transurethral prostatectomy were selected for stud
y. The first 25 men served as a control group and the next 25 were the
experimental group. Pelvic floor muscle exercise was started after re
moval of the Foley catheter postoperatively in the experimental group.
The patients were evaluated before pelvic floor muscle exercise and w
eekly at our outpatient department after discharge from the hospital.
Results for the later 25 patients treated with the pelvic floor muscle
exercise program were compared to those of the prior 25 patients. Res
ults: There was a statistically significant difference (p <0.05) in th
e strength of pelvic floor muscle contractions at 4 weeks, length of b
etween void interval (p <0.01), terminal dribbling at week 4 (p <0.05)
and urinary incontinence at weeks 3 and 4 between the 2 groups after
pelvic floor muscle exercise. During this study no complication or mor
tality occurred and there were no cases of hospitalization for either
group, After pelvic floor muscle exercise patients in the experimental
group had better satisfaction with life than the control group (p <0.
01). Conclusions: We conclude that pelvic floor muscle exercise seems
to help reduce symptoms within the first 4 weeks after transurethral p
rostatectomy, and provides better psychological and social quality of
life.