Urinary artificial sphincter

Abstract

The artificial sphincter is a well-accepted and successful method for restoring urinary continence in selected patients. The patient who will benefit from this device is one who has a poorly or non-functioning urethral sphincter mechanism. The site of inflatable cuff placement is around the bulbous urethral or bladder neck (children, women). The complications currently associated with artificial urinary sphincter are cuff erosion, infection, mechanical malfunction, recurrent or persistent incontinence, retention, hematoma. In order to get the best from the device and to justify the mechanical and infective risks, the accurate selection of patients and the identification of high risk categories is most important. It is essential that ali patients should have regular long-term follow-up after surgery.