Pelvic floor muscle training to improve urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy: a systematic review of effectiveness

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) for treating urinary incontinence (UI) after radical prostatectomy (RP) by reviewing evidence from randomized trials. METHODS: Randomized trials published in English were included if they involved men with UI after RP and compared PFMT with a control group. Data were abstracted onto a standardized form using a prospectively developed protocol. RESULTS: Eleven trials randomizing 1028 men (mean age 64 years) met the inclusion criteria; the duration of the trials was 3-12 months. One trial of 300 men found that those assigned to PFMT achieved continence more quickly (after 1, 3 and 6 months) than men not assigned to PFMT. Men receiving biofeedback-enhanced PFMT were more likely to achieve continence or have no continual leakage than those with no training within 1-2 months after RP (relative benefit increase 1.54; 95% confidence interval 1.01-2.34; four trials reporting). The relative benefit increase (1.19, 0.82-1.72; five studies) was no longer significant after 3-4 months. Biofeedback-enhanced PFMT was comparable to written/verbal PFMT instruction. Extracorporeal magnetic innervation (ExMI) and electrical stimulation (ES) were found to be initially (within 1-2 months) more effective than PFMT in one trial, but there were no significant differences between groups at > or = 3 months. CONCLUSION: Based on available evidence, PFMT with or without biofeedback enhancement hastens the return to continence more than no PFMT in men with UI after RP. Additional trials are needed to confirm whether ExMI and ES are effective conservative treatment options.     

Device to promote pelvic floor muscle training for stress incontinence

AIM: Many patients with stress urinary incontinence do not have enough motivation to continue pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) by themselves. Therefore, a device was created to support PFMT, and its effect was examined. METHODS: Forty-six women with stress urinary incontinence were assigned to a control group or a device group in order of presentation. A pamphlet on PFMT was given to control patients, while the same pamphlet plus the device and instructions on its use were given to patients in the device group. The device had a chime that was set to sound three times a day when exercise sessions were scheduled. PFMT consisted of fast and slow pelvic floor muscle contraction exercises that were performed for 2 min and followed a rhythm set by the device. RESULTS: After 8 weeks, 20 patients from the control group and 21 patients from the device group could be evaluated. In the control group, only the quality of life (QOL) index improved significantly. In the device group, however, the daily number of incontinence episodes, the number of pads used daily, the QOL index, and the pad weight in the pad test improved significantly. Patients in the device group said that they felt obligated to perform PFMT when the chime sounded. Forty-eight percent of patients from the device group were satisfied with the outcome of PFMT, while only 15% were satisfied in the control group. CONCLUSION: This device may be useful to support the management of stress urinary incontinence.     

Pelvic floor muscle strength and response to pelvic floor muscle training for stress urinary incontinence

AIMS: Several randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that pelvic floor muscle training is effective to treat stress urinary incontinence. The aim of the present study was to compare muscle strength increase and maximal strength in responders and non-responders to pelvic floor muscle training. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-two women with urodynamically proven stress incontinence who had participated in a six months randomized controlled trial on pelvic floor muscle training, mean age 45.4 years (range 24-64), participated in the study. The women were classified as responders and non-responders based on a combination of five effect variables covering urodynamic measurement, pad test with standardized bladder volume, and self-reports. Pelvic floor muscle strength was measured with a vaginal balloon connected to a fiber optic micro tip transducer (Camtech AS, Sandvika, Norway). RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between improvement in PFM maximal strength and improvement measured by leakage index (r = 0.34, P < 0.01), and reduction in urinary leakage measured by the pad test (r = 0.23, P = 0.05). The total sample of 52 women comprised 21 responders, 18 unclassifiable, and 13 non-responders. There was a statistically significant difference in maximal strength after the training period between responders and non-responders; 24.0 cm H2O (95% CI:18.1-29.9) versus 12.7 cm H2O (95% CI: 6.8-18.6) P < 0.001), and strength increase; 14.8 cm H2O (95% CI: 8.9-20.7) versus 5.0 cm H2O (95% CI: 2.6-12.6), respectively (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: There was a positive relation between both pelvic floor muscle strength increase and maximal strength, and improvement of stress urinary incontinence.     

A randomized controlled trial of antenatal pelvic floor exercises to prevent and treat urinary incontinence

Introduction and hypothesis  

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of antenatal pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) in the prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and postpartum period.     

A randomized controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises to treat postnatal urinary incontinence

A randomized controlled trial was carried out to evaluate the extent to which a program of reinforced pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) reduces urinary incontinence 1 year after delivery. Two hundred and thirty women who were incontinent 3 months postpartum were randomized to either a control group doing standard postnatal pelvic floor muscle exercises (n=117) or to an intervention group (n=113) who saw a physiotherapist for instruction at approximately 3, 4, 6 and 9 months postpartum. Results collected 12 months after delivery included prevalence and frequency of incontinence and PFME, sexual satisfaction, perineometry measurements and pad tests. Twenty-six (22%) of the control group and 59 (52%) of the intervention group withdrew before the final assessment. The prevalence of incontinence was significantly less in the intervention group than in the control group (50% versus 76%,P=0.0003), and this group also did significantly more PFME. There were no significant differences between the groups as regards sexual satisfaction, perineometry measurements or pad test results.     

负压治疗联合盆底肌训练对前列腺癌根治术后患者控尿功能及性功能的影响

目的探讨负压治疗联合盆底肌训练对前列腺癌根治术后患者控尿功能及主观幸福感的影响。方法将中山大学附属第三医院2016年10月至2019年4月泌尿外科确诊为前列腺癌并行腹腔镜下前列腺癌根治术治疗的70例患者,按随机数字表法分为干预组和对照组各35例,其中对照组35例采用常规护理(盆底肌功能锻炼),干预组35例在常规护理基础上,术后6周起再增加负压治疗。比较对照组和干预组术后6周、10周、18周控尿功能恢复情况,同时进行国际勃起功能评分表(IIEF-5)评分及主观幸福感调查,观察其治疗效果。结果干预组术后6周、10周、18周尿失禁评分中位值分别2分、1分与0分,低于对照组的2分、2分与2分,提示干预组术后平均控尿功能恢复时间较对照组短,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);此外干预组相比对照组,IIEF-5评分及主观幸福感评分上升速度较快,提示干预组术后勃起功能和生活质量改善情况明显优于对照组。结论负压治疗联合盆底肌训练对前列腺癌根治术后患者的控尿功能和性功能有明显改善,且缩短其恢复时间。     

Evaluation of pelvic floor muscle strength before and after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy and early outcomes on urinary continence

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) assessment and training before and after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) in improving PFM strength and urinary continence. We performed an analysis of a database of patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) performed by two urologists from 2011 to 2013. Pelvic floor muscle (PFM) activation and strength were graded by a trained pelvic floor physiotherapist. Patients were given an exercise program, grouped according to the strength of their pelvic floor as graded by assessment, to complete before and after surgery. PFM strength was recorded preoperatively, 4 days post-catheter removal and 4 weeks post-catheter removal. Continence was recorded at 4 weeks postop and was defined as the requirement of no continence aids. A total of 98 patients had RARP and a preoperative physiotherapy assessment plus postoperative appointments at around 1 and 4 weeks post-RARP. The majority of men improved their PFM strength regardless of preoperative strength with no significant predictors of postoperative strength found. Age was the only significant predictor of postoperative incontinence. In this pilot study, a majority of patients increased their pelvic floor strength with time. Pelvic floor physiotherapy is an important modifiable patient factor, which does have an impact in improving patients’ urinary continence by strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. Patient age influences response to pelvic floor physiotherapy.     

前列腺癌患者根治术后尿失禁的预防

目的探讨保护尿道膜部括约肌和神经血管束及重建膀胱颈部对前列腺癌根治术后尿失禁的预防作用。方法对32例前列腺癌采用保护尿道膜部括约肌和前列腺旁神经血管束,并在重建膀胱颈部黏膜充分外翻后的后壁行折叠缝合1针的方法,进行前列腺癌根治术,观察术后尿失禁发生情况。结果经6～72个月随访,全部患者排尿通畅,无肿瘤复发,除2例发生轻度尿失禁外,其余30例在6个月内均恢复尿控能力。结论保护尿道膜部括约肌和前列腺旁神经血管束,在充分外翻膀胱黏膜的重建膀胱颈后壁折叠缝合,能减少前列腺癌根治术后尿失禁的发生。     

Medium-term efficacy of pelvic floor muscle training for female urinary incontinence in daily practice

The purpose of this paper is to assess the efficacy of physiotherapy and quality of life in women treated for urinary incontinence by specialized physiotherapists in daily community-based practices. Three hundred and fifty-five women were treated in five physiotherapy practices between January 2000 and December 2004. After a minimum follow-up of 12 months, these women received a questionnaire at home. With the questionnaire, we collected demographic data, data on the efficacy of treatment, satisfaction with the result, and the Urogenital Distress Inventory, and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire. Additional information was derived from the medical files. One hundred and eighty-seven women responded. Fifty percent of women were satisfied with the result of physiotherapy. After a mean follow-up of 32 months, 123 out of 130 women (94.6%), who only had physiotherapy, recorded to experience incontinence episodes daily to several times a week. Women who underwent additional incontinence surgery after insufficient physiotherapy recorded significantly less urinary incontinence symptoms and a better quality of life. Pelvic floor muscle training for urinary incontinence is effective in half of the women. If not successful, women seem to benefit significantly from incontinence surgery.     

A prospective observational trial of pelvic floor muscle training for female stress urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on bladder neck mobility in a prospective observational study, and to correlate any observed changes with objective, standardized outcome measures of the severity of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with the symptom of SUI were recruited prospectively over a 3-year period from a tertiary referral urogynaecology clinic in a teaching hospital. A group of 97 treatment-naive women complaining of SUI and confirmed as having urodynamic SUI on video-urodynamic assessment agreed to participate. Bladder neck mobility on perineal ultrasonography was assessed immediately before and on completing a 14-week programme of 'PFM rehabilitation'. Treatment outcome was assessed using a standardized pad-test and a condition-specific, validated quality-of-life questionnaire (King's Health Questionnaire). Changes in functional anatomy were quantified using transperineal ultrasonography to measure the bladder neck position at rest, maximum PFM contraction and maximum Valsalva manoeuvre. Bladder neck rotational mobility from rest to maximum incursion and maximum excursion was calculated. RESULTS: Treatment with an intensive package of PFMT and behavioural modification resulted in significant elevation of the bladder neck position at all three measured positions. Displacement of the bladder neck on Valsalva (rotational excursion) was reduced after treatment, suggesting increased levator 'stiffness'. These changes in functional anatomy were associated with a statistically and clinically significant reduction in urine loss and improvement in condition-specific quality of life. CONCLUSION: The present results show that PFMT is an effective treatment for SUI and provide an important new insight into how dynamic pelvic floor anatomy can be modified by this widely used intervention.     

Evaluation of early pelvic floor physiotherapy on the duration and degree of urinary incontinence after radical retropubic prostatectomy in a non-teaching hospital

The objective of this study was to study the effect of early pelvic floor re-education on the degree and duration of incontinence and to evaluate the results of radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) performed in a non-teaching hospital. This is a non-randomised study. From March 2000 to November 2003, 57 consecutive men, who underwent RRP for localized prostate cancer, participated in a pelvic floor re-educating program. Continence was defined as a loss of no more than 2-g urine on the 24-h pad test and no use of pads. The 24-h pad test was performed once in every 4 weeks until the patient indicated that he was continent. Diurnal and nocturnal continence was achieved after 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months post catheter removal in 40, 49, 70, 86 and 88% of all men, respectively. Comparison of our results with current literature suggest that the time period towards continence after a RRP can be shortened relevantly if pelvic floor re-education is started directly after catheter removal.