Male urinary incontinence is usually caused by a damaged urinary sphincter, which is the circular muscle that helps control the flow of urine out of the bladder. In men, the urinary sphincter muscle is located below the prostate and tightens to holds urine in the bladder. When the sphincter muscle is damaged, it cannot close the urethra, thus inadvertently allowing urine to flow outside of the body

Persistent incontinence can limit your activities, keeping you home-bound in costly, messy pads and dealing with the frustration, embarrassment, and constant fear of leaking and odor. With advances in treatment options, you don’t have to suffer through bladder control problems anymore. Today, there are real solutions that can fully resolve incontinence, allowing you to return to the things you love.

Types of Urinary Leakage:

•  Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) – The most common type of incontinence following prostate cancer surgery, Stress Urinary Incontinence occurs when urine leaks during a physical activity like lifting, exercising, sneezing, or coughing.
• Urge Incontinence (UI) – Urge Incontinence occurs when you have an overwhelming need to urinate but are unable to hold urine long enough to reach the bathroom.
• Overflow Incontinence (OI) – Overflow Incontinence occurs when the bladder never completely empties, which causes urine to leak.
• Total Incontinence (TI) – TI occurs when the urinary sphincter muscle is completely deficient, which results in continual leakage of urine with no control.

There are numerous ways to deal with incontinence, ranging from ongoing management to permanent surgical solutions:

• Absorbent Products – Pads, diapers, and absorbable garments are frequently used to manage incontinence.
• Internal Collection Devices – Catheterization on a regular basis may be employed for certain men to ensure that the bladder is emptied on a regular schedule.
• External Devices – Condom catheters can be used to collect urine and clamps can be used to block the flow of urine.
• Biofeedback / Electrical Stimulation – Biofeedback can help patients gain awareness and control of their urinary tract muscles.
• Bulking Agent Injections – Injections of bulk-producing agents, such as collagen, into the urinary sphincter. Most experts in the field of male urinary leakage no longer use bulking agent injections.
• Surgical Options – These range from implantable “male sling” procedures, designed to support the muscles surrounding the urethra, to implanting an artificial urinary sphincter that mimics the function of a normal, healthy sphincter.

AdVance® Male Sling System This innovative, safe, and effective outpatient procedure involves placing a small sling of synthetic mesh inside the body through small incisions. The sling then supports the urethra, restoring normal bladder control. Most patients are continent immediately following the procedure and can resume normal, non-strenuous activities shortly thereafter.

Artificial Urinary Sphincter The AMS 800® Urinary Control System is a device known as an artificial urinary sphincter and is placed inside the patient’s body to provide simple, discreet urinary control. It works by mimicking a healthy sphincter, keeping the urethra closed until you are ready to urinate. The sphincter consists of a connected system comprised of a pump (implanted in the scrotum), an inflatable cuff (around the urethra), and a balloon reservoir (implanted in the abdomen). The patient controls urination by squeezing and releasing the pump. This moves fluid out of the cuff that has compressed the urethra and back into the reservoir. Because the empty cuff is no longer pressing the urethra closed, urine can flow out of the bladder. After the bladder is emptied, the fluid automatically returns from the reservoir to the cuff, squeezing the urethra closed. It is considered the gold standard for treating incontinence due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency. It effectively gives most men the ability to achieve continence and published clinical data shows long-term, effective results.