Abdominal Subcutaneous Fat Thickness Is a Useful Predictor for Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction After Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVE

Obesity is known to be an important patient-related factor in predicting lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). The present study aimed to investigate the usefulness of subcutaneous and visceral fat thickness as measures of obesity in predicting LUTD after RARP.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A total of 536 patients who had undergone RARP at our institution were included in the study. We measured the abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness (SCFT) and periprostatic fat thickness (PPFT) on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging as indicators of subcutaneous and visceral fat, respectively. Uroflowmetry and a one-hour pad test were performed in all patients at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after RARP, and the resulting data were used to calculate bladder voiding efficiency (BVE) and the amount of urinary leakage as objective postoperative parameters. Associations between preoperative SCFT or PPFT and these parameters were evaluated using univariate and multivariate regression analyses.

RESULTS

In the univariate analysis, SCFT was significantly correlated with BVE at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months (p < 0.05), and with the amount of urinary leakage at 3, 6, and 12 months (p < 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, SCFT was significantly associated with BVE at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months (p < 0.05), as well as the amount of urinary leakage at 3, 6, and 12 months (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

High SCFT was significantly associated with a low BVE and increased urinary incontinence after RARP. SCFT may be a useful predictor of LUTD.