Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27394644›Full record

SynthesisEuropean urology2017

Preoperative Membranous Urethral Length Measurement and Continence Recovery Following Radical Prostatectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Sean F Mungovan, Jaspreet S Sandhu, Oguz Akin, Neil A Smart, Petra L Graham, Manish I Patel

Open access · bronzeAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European urology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 110 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
110citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
11.5field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

110 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 218 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Incontinence after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a reverse systematic review.International braz j urol : official journal of the Brazilian Society of Urology
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  19. [Mid- to Long-Term Urinary Continence Outcomes of Pelvic-Peritoneal Structure-Sparing Techniquein Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy].Sichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition · 2026
    Article
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50 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

Sean F MungovanWestmead Private Physiotherapy Services, Westmead Private Hospital Sydney, Australia; The Clinical Research Institute, Sydney, Australia; Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: sean.mungovan@crinstitute.com.au.
Jaspreet S SandhuUrology Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre, NY, USA.
Oguz AkinDepartment of Radiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre, NY, USA.
Neil A SmartThe Clinical Research Institute, Sydney, Australia; School of Science & Technology, University of New England, Armidale, Australia.
Petra L GrahamDepartment of Statistics, Macquarie University, Australia.
Manish I PatelDepartment of Urology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia; Discipline of Surgery, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Australia.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · USMacquarie University · AUThe University of Melbourne · AUUniversity of New England · AUWestmead Hospital · AU

Funding

X-RAY CRYSTALLOGRAPHYP30CA008748 · NCI · SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RES · PI Hongbiao Carl Lekaye · 1985 to 2026
$347.4M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA008748
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextMembranous urethral length (MUL) measured prior to radical prostatectomy (RP) has been identified as a factor that is associated with the recovery of continence following surgery.

objectiveTo undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of all studies reporting the effect of MUL on the recovery of continence following RP. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases up to September 2015 was performed. Thirteen studies comprising one randomized controlled trial and 12 cohort studies were selected for inclusion. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Four studies (1738 patients) that reported hazard ratio results. Every extra millimeter (mm) of MUL was associated with a faster return to continence (hazard ratio: 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.08, p<0.001). Eleven studies (6993 patients) reported the OR (OR) for the return to continence at one or more postoperative time points. MUL had a significant positive effect on continence recovery at 3 mo (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.03-1.14, p=0.004), 6 mo (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.09-1.15, p<0.0001). and 12 mo (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03-1.22, p=0.006) following surgery. After adjusting for repeated measurements over time and studies with overlapping data, all OR data combined indicated that every extra millimeter of MUL was associated with significantly greater odds for return to continence (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.05-1.15, p<0.001).

conclusionsA greater preoperative MUL is significantly and positively associated with a return to continence in men following RP. Magnetic resonance imaging measurement of MUL is recommended prior to RP. PATIENT SUMMARY: We examined the effect that the length of a section of the urethra (called the membranous urethra) had on the recovery of continence after radical prostatectomy surgery. Our results indicate that measuring the length of the membranous urethra via magnetic resonance imaging before surgery may be useful to predict a longer period of urinary incontinence after surgery, or to explain a delay in achieving continence after surgery.

Indexed as

ProstatectomyRecovery of FunctionHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleOrgan SizePostoperative ComplicationsProportional Hazards ModelsProstatic NeoplasmsUrethraUrinary IncontinenceMagnetic resonance imagingMembranous urethraMembranous urethral lengthMeta-analysisProstate cancerSystematic reviewUrinary incontinence

Identifiers

PMID27394644
PMCPMC5600894
OpenAlexW2474871227

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.