During a radical prostatectomy, a muscle that controls urine could be cut. This is the primary cause for men experiencing urine leakage after radical prostatectomy, whether the urologist performs traditional or robotic surgery.
With radiation, there is no urinary leakage because the muscle at the apex of the prostate is not cut or removed. Men who had a TURP (“’roto-rooter”) procedure or who have severe urinary urgency, such as leaking urine before they get to the toilet, may have a higher risk of urinary leakage after radiation. In general, urinary leakage is not common after radiation therapy. A highly skilled radiation oncologist, using targeted radiation, can maximize your chance of maintaining sexual function.