Are male slings for post-prostatectomy incontinence a valid option?
OBJECTIVE
Stress incontinence in men is still a common problem after surgical treatment of prostatic disease. This article reviews the techniques and results of recently described surgical slings available to treat male stress incontinence.


RESULTS
Medium-term follow-up (mean 3-4 years) of patients treated with bone-anchored slings has been recently published, suggesting a success rate (cured or improved) of 70-80%. Short-term follow-up (mean of 6-12 months) of transobturator retrourethral slings demonstrates a success rate of 62-83%. Novel sling designs include mechanisms to manipulate the tension postoperatively and inside-out transobturator trocar passage. Common complications associated with slings are acute urinary retention and perineal pain. Rare complications include urethral erosion and infection. Retropubic approaches are associated with a risk of bladder perforation.


CONCLUSIONS
Male slings are a valid option for treating male stress incontinence, and do offer several advantages over the artificial urinary sphincter. However, long-term data and multicenter series are needed in order to compare directly with the artificial urinary sphincter.
Welk
Blayne K
BK
Division of Urology, Sunnybrook Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Herschorn
Sender
S
D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011469:Prostatic Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D053825:Suburethral Slings / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*