To investigate the effect of biofeedback combined with pelvic floor training on stress urinary incontinence in elderly men.

This study was prospective and Patients with urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy from China Rehabilitation Research Center were enrolled. The patients who could not complete or refused the study, had a history of other urinary diseases, and central nervous system diseases were excluded. Patients were divided by random number table method into 3 groups. They were Kegel training group (Group A)which underwent anus contraction training with each contraction for 5 seconds and a rest interval of 2 seconds. Biofeedback combined with Kegel training group (Group B), which was biofeedback combined with anus contraction training and the biofeedback combined Pilates group (Group C) which received the biofeedback combined Pilates training. In group B and group C, patients were placed in the right lateral position and the surface electrode of the rectal probe was inserted into the anus. The reference electrode was fixed at the adductor muscle of the right thigh. The patient is asked to squeeze the electrode as hard as possible by constricting the anus so that the electromyographic signals produced by constricting the anus are synchronized with those on the computer screen. In the electrical stimulation stage of biofeedback therapy, rhomboid waves with current intensity of 30-50 Hz and pulse width of 300μs were used, and the electrical stimulation intensity was determined by the subtle muscle contraction visible. Each of the three training sessions lasted 45 minutes a day for 8 weeks. 1 hour pad test, daily incontinence times, (International Incontinence Counseling Questionnaire, ICIQ), and Oxford Score Scale were recorded every weekend. The 1-hour pad test, the number of incontinent episodes, ICIQ, Oxford Score scale before and after treatment were compared among the three groups, as well as the differences between the groups.

There were no significant differences in age, height, weight, history of diabetes or hypertension before treatment, time from postoperative to training, operation method, retention of nerve tract during surgery, Gleason score, 1-hour pad test, the number of episodes of incontinence, ICIQ and Oxford Grading Scale among the 3 groups. The 1-hour pad test results of group A, B and C were (37.4±7.2), (22.2±4.7) and (18.3±2.4) g, respectively, with statistical significance among the three groups (P<0.01), and the difference between the three groups and before treatment was statistically significant (P<0.01). The results of the number of episodes of incontinence in group A, B and C after treatment were (4.6±0.7), (3.4±0.6) and (3.0±0.8), respectively, and the difference among the three groups was statistically significant (P<0.01), and the difference between the three groups and before treatment was statistically significant (P<0.01). The results of The ICIQ in group A, B and C after treatment were 12(11, 14), 8(7, 9) and 6(5, 8), respectively, and the differences among the three groups were statistically significant (P<0.01), and the differences between the three groups were statistically significant compared with before treatment (P<0.01). The results of Oxford Grading Scale in group A, B and C after treatment were 3(3, 3), 4(3, 4) and 4(4, 4), respectively, and the difference between the three groups was statistically significant (P<0.01), and the difference between the three groups was statistically significant compared with before treatment (P<0.01).

Biofeedback combined with pelvic floor training and biofeedback combined with Pilates training can improve urinary control, pelvic floor muscle strength, and stress urinary incontinence symptoms in male patients with stress urinary incontinence.

Prostatectomy; Post-prostatectomy incontinence; Pelvic floor muscle training; Kegel training; Biofeedback