Incidence of Stress Urinary Incontinence After Posterior Urethroplasty for Radiation-induced Urethral Strictures

Abstract

To identify the frequency of de novo stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after posterior excision and primary anastomotic (EPA) urethroplasty in patients with radiation-induced urethral strictures (RIUS) and compare with patients with pelvic fracture urethral injuries (PFUIs). A retrospective review was conducted among patients who underwent successful posterior EPA urethroplasty between 2008 and 2016 for RIUS from prostate cancer or PFUI from blunt trauma. Only patients with an intact bladder neck on imaging were included. SUI was defined by patient-reported outcomes and daily pad use. Inclusion criteria were met by 36 patients with RIUS and 33 patients with PFUI. Among the RIUS cohort, mean follow-up was 18 months, mean stricture length was 2.5 cm, and surgical dissection extended to the prostatic urethra in 67% (n = 24). The overall frequency of de novo SUI among patients with RIUS was 33% (n = 12), of which 75% (9 of 12) had prostatic urethral involvement. Two patients with RIUS (17%, n = 12) proceeded with artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) placement, whereas the remaining 10 patients required pads. SUI after urethroplasty in patients with PFUI was less common (12%, n = 4) and the prostatic urethra was involved in only 3% (n = 1) of all patients with PFUI. One patient with PFUI underwent AUS placement, whereas the remaining 3 patients did not require pads. Among RIUS patients with an intact bladder neck, SUI impacts one-third of patients. Subsequent AUS placement is uncommon. Prostatic urethral involvement increases risk of SUI. SUI is less common among patients with PFUI, likely related to a more limited involvement of the proximal bulbomembranous urethra and lack of radiation.