Surgical Management of Male Stress Incontinence: Techniques, Indications, and Pearls for Success

Outcome of post-prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence surgery in men with preoperative idiopathic detrusor overactivity

Background

Urodynamic evidence of storage dysfunction such as detrusor overactivity (DO) and/or poor compliance are present in up to 30-40% of patients after Radical Prostatectomy (RP). However, the current optimal management of men with DO on preoperative urodynamics prior to male stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery is not known.

Methods

We performed a systematic search of the literature including articles on patients undergoing SUI surgery after prostatectomy with preoperative DO between January 2003 and May 2023 to ensure contemporaneous data was obtained.

Results

We identified 11 eligible publications with a total of 792 patients. On Urodynamics, 29% (n = 229) patients had DO prior to SUI surgery. Overall 69% patients had a successful outcome after SUI surgery while 26% (132/499) failed while 34% (32/95) patients who had proven DO preoperatively failed SUI surgery. The difference was not statistically significant. Considering the sub-group analysis, the failure rate with preoperative DO was significantly higher in the sling group (43%) than in the AUS group (18%). The review was limited by the outcome heterogeneity, variability in study inclusion criteria, reporting and analysis and the quality of the available studies.

Conclusions

Within the limitations of the data, this review did not show a statistically significant higher failure rate of male incontinence surgery in patients with DO. Hence, patients with DO on preoperative urodynamics who are eligible for male SUI surgery should not be denied surgery but should be counselled appropriately of the risks and potential need for subsequent treatment, to manage expectations.

Male sling versus artificial urinary sphincter for the treatment of incontinence after prostate surgery: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Background

Urinary incontinence following prostate treatment (IPT) represents a significant complication that detrimentally impacts the quality of life for patients who have undergone prostate surgery. Presently, there is a scarcity of evidence regarding the preferred surgical techniques for IPT. We conducted a meta-analysis to compare the outcomes of the male sling and artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) in the treatment of IPT.

Methods

Data were extracted through electronic literature searches on PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases until September 2023. Eligible studies included patients who underwent AUS or male sling procedures for IPT and had a follow-up duration exceeding 12 months. The primary end point was the success rate, with the secondary outcome focusing on complication rates. A fixed-effects or random-effects models were used to calculate the pooled estimate and its 95% confidence interval (CI). The publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger's regression test.

Results

The meta-analysis included nine studies, involving a total of 1,350 participants. No statistically significant difference in success rates was found between AUS and male sling [odds ratio (OR): 0.96, 95% CI: 0.91-1.01]. In terms of the complication rate, there was no significant disparity between the two procedures (OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.86-1.12).

Conclusions

The findings from this study indicated that male sling surgery yielded success and complication rates comparable to those of AUS. This suggests that male sling could serve as a viable alternative surgical option in the treatment of IPT.

Anxiety, depression, urinary continence, and sexuality in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy: preliminary findings

OBJECTIVES

Evaluate the relationship between psychological distress, namely anxiety and depression, with urinary continence and recovery of erectile function in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP).

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data from 33 consecutive patients who underwent RP in a single tertiary-referral academy between 01/2018 to 01/2019. We used the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-15), the Sexual Complaints Screener for Men (SCS-M), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), validated questionnaires for the assessment of sexual function, anxiety, and depression experiences, respectively. These questionnaires were administered at the pre-surgical visit, after surgery, and at intermediate follow-ups (three, six, and twelve months).

RESULTS

The analysis of the questionnaires completed during follow-up shows that erectile function is the most affected, with 90% erectile dysfunction (ED) at three months after surgery. In terms of emotional states, anxiety prevails in the first months following surgery and is statistically significantly associated with incontinence (p = 0.02). Depressive symptoms, on the other hand, appear later and prevail over anxiety at six months after surgery, although not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

In the early post-surgical phase anxiety and ED are the most frequently detected components, while depressive experiences and decreased desire, typical of later stages, have not yet fully emerged.