A Prospective Study to Evaluate the Impact of Maximal Urethral Length Preservation Technique During Robotic Laparoscopic Prostatectomy on the Stretched Flaccid Penile Length and Continence.

After robotic prostatectomy, besides erectile function and achievement of oncological control, staying dry is also a very important desire expressed frequently by the patients. This has led to the concept of trifecta achievement after robotic prostatectomies. Hence, continence preserving prostatectomies are the order of the day today. Patient acceptance to surgery is low if the continence cannot be assured preoperatively. Many techniques have been promulgated in the last two decades.We present a novel technique of maximal urethral length preservation during surgery as an effective method of continence preservation. We hypothesize that maximal preservation of urethra would lead to improved and early continence after robotic prostatectomy. We also hypothesize that urethral preservation spares penile length shortening. We therefore propose to prospectively evaluate penile length shortening.While penile length change after radical prostatectomy has been studied in the past, we like to assess the penile morphometric assessment following the novel technique of maximal urethral length preservation radical prostatectomy.

Inclusion Criteria: All men undergoing robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP).-Exclusion Criteria:Exposure to androgen deprivation therapyPrior treatment for prostate cancerMetastatic prostate cancerHistory of hypospadias or urethral reconstructionHistory of penile implant, intracorporal injections, intraurethral suppositoriesPrior pelvic surgery. -