It can be humiliating and uncomfortable when you leak urine. The good news is, if your leakage is frequent or becomes overwhelming, you have options.
What is stress urinary incontinence?
Incontinence is defined as any involuntary leakage of urine.1 Male stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is usually caused by a damaged or weakened sphincter and occurs when physical movement or activity — such as coughing, laughing, sneezing or heavy lifting — puts pressure or stress on a man’s bladder. The sphincter is the circular muscle that controls urine flow out of the bladder. When damaged, this muscle cannot squeeze and close off the urethra; the result is urine leakage.
What causes male SUI?
SUI is a common side effect of prostate cancer treatment, such as surgery (radical prostatectomy) or radiation. It can also be a symptom from enlarged prostate (BPH) surgery, pelvic trauma or a neurological condition such as spina bifida.3
What are my treatment options?
There is good news – most cases of stress urinary incontinence can be cured or improved.4 It may be recommended to make changes to your daily routine, such as avoiding caffeine and alcohol, limiting fluid intake and following a voiding schedule.5
Some men cope by using absorbent pads and protective undergarments. Others use special devices to try to prevent urine leakage such as penile clamps, and internal and external penile catheters. There are also long-term surgical treatment options including the AMS 800™ Urinary Control System and the AdVance™ XP Male Sling System.
AMS 800™ Urinary Control System
Considered the gold standard treatment for male SUI, the AMS 800 Urinary Control System provides proven, discreet bladder control.6 90% of patients reported satisfaction with the AMS 800.7
The AMS 800 System is a three-part urinary control system contained completely inside the body.8
- Control pump is implanted in the scrotum
- Inflatable cuff is placed around the urethra
- Saline-filled balloon (PRB) is usually implanted in a natural open space next to the bladder
How it works8
The AMS 800 System is filled with saline and uses the fluid to open and close the cuff surrounding the urethra. When you need to urinate, you squeeze and release the pump in the scrotum several times to remove fluid from the cuff. When the cuff is empty, urine can flow out of the bladder. The cuff automatically refills in a few minutes squeezing the urethra closed to restore bladder control.
Could an AMS 800 System be right for you?
- Designed to treat male SUI following prostate surgery9
- Mimics a healthy sphincter, allowing you to urinate when desired9
- Offers most men with a weakened sphincter muscle the ability to achieve continence4
- Placed entirely inside the body, it is undetectable to others9
- Requires good cognitive ability and manual dexterity9
AdVance™ XP Male Sling System
The AdVance XP Male Sling is placed in the body and acts as a hammock, repositioning and supporting the urethra to help restore bladder control. Most patients (up to 89.4%) have long-term success with the AdVance XP Male Sling and are classified as cured or improved.10
How it works
The AdVance XP Sling is designed to stop leakage by supporting the sphincter muscle. The sling is a strip of soft mesh placed inside the body and is designed to move the sphincter back to its natural position to help restore bladder control. The AdVance XP Sling works on its own to restore continence, requiring no action by the patient to function.
Could an AdVance XP Male Sling be right for you?
- Minimally invasive solution for male SUI
- Placed entirely inside the body, it is undetectable to others12
- High success achieved in patients with mild to moderate SUI10
- Most patients are continent immediately following the procedure11
- It operates on its own to restore continence11
Sources:
1. Chapple C, Milsom I. Urinary incontinence and pelvic prolapse epidemiology and pathophysiology. In: Wein AJ, Kavoussi LR, Novick AC, et al. (eds). Campbell-Walsh Urology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Elsevier; 2012:1871-95.
2. Markland AD, Goode PS, Redden DT, et al. Prevalence of urinary incontinence in men: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Urol. 2010 Sep; 184(3):1022-7
3. Data on file with Boston Scientific and based on market research by Dymedex.
4. Van der Aa F, Drake MJ, Kasyan GR, et al. The artificial urinary sphincter after a quarter of a century: a critical, systematic review of its use in male non-neurogenic incontinence. Eur Urol. 2013 Apr;63(4):681-9.
5. Sandhu, J. Treatment options for male stress urinary incontinence. Nat Rev Urol. 2010 Apr;7(4):222-8.
6. Montague DK. Artificial urinary sphincter: long-term results and patient satisfaction. Adv Urol. 2012;2012:835290.
7. Litwiller SE, Kim KB, Fone PD, et al. Post-prostatectomy incontinence and the artificial urinary sphincter: a long-term study of patient satisfaction and criteria for success. J Urol. 1996 Dec;156(6):1975-80.
8. AMS 800™ Urinary Control System Operating Room Manual. American Medical Systems, Inc. 2017.
9. AMS 800™ Urinary Control System Instructions for Use. American Medical Systems, Inc. 2017.
10. Bauer RM, Grabbert MT, Klehr B, et al. 36-month data for the AdVance XP® male sling: results of a prospective multicenter study. BJU Int. 2017 Apr;119(4):626-30.
11. Welk B, Herschorn, S. The male sling for post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence: a review of contemporary sling designs and outcomes. BJU Int. 2012 Feb;109(3):328-44.
12. AdVance™ XP Male Sling System Instructions for Use. Boston Scientific Corporation. 2018.
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