Factors influencing sexual activity after prostatectomy: a prospective study.

Between 16 and 30 per cent of all prostatectomy patients become impotent after an operation for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Since the surgical technique does not seem to be the factor responsible for such a serious problem, more accentuated by the fact that this operation is becoming increasingly frequent with the increase in life expectancy, an assessment of 15 patients before and after prostatectomy is presented. With a statistical analysis of a structured interview (including a mini-Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test before and after the operation) 3 main differentiating factors emerged between the potent and the impotent group: 1) the level of anxiety exhibited by the patient, 2) whether the patients received an explanation about the surgery and its outcome prior to the operation and 3) the patient's general satisfaction with life.