Retrograde Perfusion Sphinterometry and Autologous Sling to Improve Urinary Continence in Robotic Radical Prostatectomy

Retrograde leak point pressure (RLPP) is intraoperatively evaluated, by means of retrograde perfusion sphinterometry, in patients scheduled to undergo RALP at our Institution, with no patient affected by preoperative urinary incontinence or neurological disorders.

Retrograde Perfusion Sphincterometry (RPS) technique. With the patient under general anaesthesia, with a nasogastric tube and rectal tube to decompress the bowel, properly positioned for RALP procedure (30° of trendelemburg), a graduated fluid supporting pole is positioned in order that the 0 cm position resulted at the level of patient's pubis . At the beginning of the surgical procedure, the indwelling 16ch Foley catheter is inserted and the bladder fully emptied.

The deflated Foley catheter is then retracted to mid urethra/fossa navicularis and inflated with 1.5 cc of Saline in order to prevent fluid extravasation from the external meatus. The catheter is then connected to a 500 cc of Saline perfusate bottle and the bottle is progressively lowered (along the fluid supporting pole) from an eight of 1 meter above the pubis till the fluid stops to flow. The value, in cmH2O, at which the fluid stops to flow into the bladder represents the RLPP.

Six-branch autologous sling surgical technique. Briefly, after bilateral vas deferens harvesting at the time of bladder mobilization during RALP, the sling is prepared on scrub nurse table with six absorbable CT2 needle 0-Vicryl sutures (each measuring 16 cm in length), tight centrally together; the vas deferens are cut in 6 specimens and transfixed with the suture and collected centrally in order to create the bulky central part of the sling .

Before urinary continuity restoration, the sling is introduced into the surgical field and its extremities are fixed bilaterally to the periosteum of the pubic branches at medial (just lateral to the symphysis), lateral and posterior level; the denonvilliers fascia is restored in a double layer fashion in order to separate the urethrovesical anastomosis from the sling. Upon completion of the urethrovesical anastomosis, the sling is tensioned, tightening together the two medial branches first, then the two lateral ones. After subjective proper tension is achieved, the RLPP is evaluated and the tension adjusted accordingly to pre surgery values.

RLPP was respectively evaluated before pneumoperitoneum induction (RLPPb) and after pneumoperitoneum induction (RLPPp). RLPP was then evaluated after urethrovesical anastomosis (RLPPa) and during proper sling tensioning (RLPPs). The aim of sling tensioning was to obtain similar pressures as after pneumoperitoneum induction (RLPPs ≅RLPPp).