Why do men leak urine after having the prostate removed for prostate cancer?

After the prostate is removed the male depends almost exclusively on the external sphincter for the control of urine. The male’s body has  to “relearn” how to control continence. How much one will leak, how long one will leak, and to  what degree one leaks, cannot be predicted. The fear of incontinence along with the fear of impotence are primary factors in the “Decision.” These two factors often are more important to the male than concerns about the “best thing to do to cure the cancer.” Prostate cancer is unique in this way.

Dirty little secret: I don’t think doing Kegels have anything to do with the return of continence. Don’t get me wrong… they don’t hurt anything. I think continence starts with the prostatectomy being performed well, and then…luck. Why it is that I can remove a prostate the exact same way in one patient (and he is dry day one…