Improvement in sexual function after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: A rehabilitation program with involvement of a clinical sexologist

INTRODUCTION: To prospectively evaluate if the inclusion of a clinical sexologist in a penile and sexual rehabilitation program improves sexual function one year after prostate cancer surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve months after da Vinci Radical Prostatectomy (dVRP) for prostate cancer, 28 fully potent (IIEF-5 >21) and sexually active men (ages 47-69 years, mean 61) who, in 2008, were enrolled in a prospectively monitored penile rehabilitation program (reference group) were compared with 79 fully potent (IIEF-5 >21) and sexually active men (ages 45-74 years, mean 61) enrolled in 2009 (study group); whose program differed by the inclusion of evaluation and treatment by a clinical sexologist. RESULTS: Twelve months after dVRP, seventeen patients in the reference group (61%) were sexually active with regular penetrating sexual activity compared to sixty-six (84%) in the study group (p = 0.02). These findings were independent of whether they had undergone a nerve sparing or non-nerve sparing procedure. Almost 94% (74 patients) in the study group had at some time been able to perform penetrating sexual activity; 14 patients required additional visits to the clinical sexologist beyond the routine follow-up, 9 for short-term cognitive behavior therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Inclusion of a clinical sexologist in a penile and sexual rehabilitation program appears to improve the ability to have regular sexual activity with penetrating sex one year after da Vinci Robotic Radical Prostatectomy.