title: The long-term results of artificial sphincters in children.
abstract: To determine the long-term efficacy of the artificial urinary sphincter, 36 consecutive children in whom a prosthesis was implanted between August 1978 and July 1985 were followed for a minimum of 5 years and re-evaluated within the last 3 months. Of the 36 sphincters 27 (75%) are currently in place; 2 of these 27 sphincters are dysfunctional due to fluid leakage. Of the 25 functioning sphincters 14 have required no further prosthetic operation, 10 needed 1 revision and 1 patient had 5 revisions. Fluid leakage, occurring in 12 patients, was the most common complication requiring reoperation. Twenty patients are completely continent (11 of whom without any medication) and 5 are occasionally damp. The over-all success rate at 2 and 5 years was 84 and 62%, respectively. The mean survival time of the prosthesis was 7.2 years and the mean standard interval was greater than 10.5 years. Patients with higher balloon pressures (81 to 100 cm. water) had more complications, and a decreased rate of success than those with lower pressure balloons (51 to 80 cm. water, p = 0.02). There was no difference in success rates between boys and girls (p = 0.98), although girls who had a prior bladder neck operation tended to have a higher rate of cuff erosion. Sphincters placed after 1980 (model AS800) had a lower reoperation rate than those placed earlier. In selected instances, the artificial urinary sphincter appears to be a viable long-term alternative for management of children with intractable incontinence who have either failed or are unsuitable for other methods of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bosco
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Colodny
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mandell
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Retik
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000601:surgery*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery