Artificial urinary sphincter outcomes for post-radical prostatectomy urinary incontinence. A narrative review

Abstract

Urinary incontinence post-radical prostatectomy is a common complication that might negatively impact patients’ quality of life. Treatments include medical and surgical options, being the insertion of an artificial urethral sphincter (AUS) the gold standard. The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the outcomes of artificial urinary sphincter implantation for urinary incontinence developed post-radical prostatectomy with and without radiation, in terms of urinary continence and complications. The MEDLINE and Scopus search returned 477 articles. A total of eleven articles were included for qualitative analysis. A total of 707 men that met the inclusion criteria were included. The 22.6% of the men (160 patients) received pelvic external beam radiotherapy prior to the implantation of the artificial urinary sphincter. The overall continence success rate was defined by the use of pads. Some authors reported a success rate of 0 pads per day (PPD) or ≤ 1 PPD in the last follow-up. The complications included urethral atrophy, mechanical failure, revision and/or removal of the device, infection and erosion. Further prospective studies should be done to clarify continence concepts after the placement of an AUS and long-term complications.