Radical prostatectomy is one of the most effective treatments for men with clinically localized prostate cancer. Though technical innovations,especially laparoscopic techniques,have developed rapidly for the last decade, urinary incontinence remains one of the most troubling side effects of the operation. While the injury of urethral sphincter and its innervations was considered as the most important reason for incontinence, factors influencing postoperative continence that have been considered include clinical features of patients, such as the patient's age, size of the prostate, prior prostatic surgery and features of the surgical technique itself, such as preservation of full functional-length urethra, preservation of the neurovascular bundles, bladder neck preservation or reconstruction and pelvic floor muscle training during the early phase after the surgery. Nonetheless, many factors above have not been clearly established, and controversy goes on among different studies. This article reviews factors that may influence urinary continence after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.