Predictors of Postoperative Urinary Incontinence After Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) for Surgeons Early in Their Experience

Objectives

To evaluate factors impacting continence recovery following holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) for surgeons early in their HoLEP experience.

Methods

Predefined factors were evaluated from a prospectively maintained database for their impact on the recovery of continence after HoLEP. Both surgeons had performed fewer than 150 HoLEPs as attending physicians. Inclusion criteria were subjects with at least 6 months of incontinence data or documented recovery of continence. One or fewer pads per day was defined as continence. Statistical analyses were performed using R and Prism and included Spearman correlations, linear modeling, and Mantel–Cox log-rank testing as appropriate.

Results

From December 2020 to May 2023, 152 subjects met inclusion criteria with a median age of 70 (range: 51–93). The median case number was 56 (1–146). Within the study period, 144/152 (94.7%) recovered continence at a median of 1.6 months postoperatively. Linear modeling demonstrated that younger age (p = 0.01) and shorter enucleation time (p = 0.001) predicted recovery. Enucleation time less than 100 min predicted earlier continence recovery based on Mantel–Cox testing (p = 0.0004).

Conclusions

During the surgeons' HoLEP learning curve, age, and enucleation time were predictive of the recovery of continence. Enucleation time under 100 min predicted a faster rate of continence recovery. The relationship between enucleation time and continence recovery may be demonstrative of case difficulty or may be a result of pressure on the external urethral sphincter during enucleation. These findings further our understanding of HoLEP outcomes early in a surgeon's learning curve.