Urinary incontinence is a common problem suffered by many of us post both surgery and radiation therapy for prostate cancer. The degree of incontinence varies from no problem all the way to having no control of the urinary function. Men having surgery find that as time progresses post treatment, they do regain levels of urinary control, but some of us never gain back control. Those of us who have had radiation find they might actually lose control (or degrees of control) as time progresses. No matter which treatment modality we choose, the potential for urinary incontinence stares us in the face.
When the incontinence becomes uncontrollable by exercise and pads, you might consider a surgical remedy. There are a number of surgical interventions available, including the surgical installation of an artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) and the insertion of an adjustable bulbourethral male sling.
At the Department of Urology, S. B. Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey there was a very small study conducted to compare the efficacy of these two procedures.
Sixteen patients with recurrent post-prostatectomy incontinence (no radiation patients in this study) who had undergone either adjustable bulbourethral male sling placement (group 1, n = 8 ) or AUS implantation (group 2, n = 8 ) were included in the study. The preoperative evaluations included his