[Clinical Course and Treatment of Acute Urinary Retention after Robot- Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy : A Single Institution Experience of 11 Cases].

Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) is becoming the standard treatment procedure for localized prostate cancer. The main complications associated with RARP include urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction. In addition, acute urinary retention (AUR) after urethral catheter removal is sometimes seen. Early catheter removal is a risk factor for AUR, and administration of alphablockers before catheter removal reduces the occurrence of AUR. However, the ideal management of AUR after RARP is not known. Here we report the clinical course and treatment after AUR. We performed 279 RARPs at our institution, and AUR developed in 11 cases. In all cases, urination status was improved after placement of a urinary catheter or intermittent catheterization. Later, urethral stricture was seen in 2 out of 11 cases. Ourstudy suggests that when AUR is observed afterRARP, catheterur ination should be initially performed. If urinary retention recurs, a urinary catheter should be placed with administration of alpha-blockers. The catheter is removed after about 3 days, and administration of analgesics is effective for reducing the pain on urination. If urination status is not improved, evaluation of the urethral stricture should be considered.