Male Incontinence
Overview
What is Male Incontinence
Urinary incontinence in men (male incontinence) is the inability to control the bladder and stop the flow of urine. Although it affects more women, it is a common condition in men and, depending on the cause, can be temporary or permanent.
Symptoms
From stress incontinence (when men leak a little when laughing or sneezing) to more serious forms of incontinence where complete loss of bladder control is experienced, London Urology specialises in the treatment of male incontinence.
Some men will experience frequent urges to go pass urine, which is urge incontinence, sometimes known as an overactive bladder.
Causes
Sometimes treatment for prostate cancer can cause urinary incontinence. Surgery and radiotherapy can damage the muscles of the valve of the sphincter, which controls urine flow.
Whilst the results of benign and radical prostatectomy procedures are generally excellent, both cut tissue immediately above the sphincter mechanism, and in some patients, the sphincter is injured. Stress incontinence following benign prostatectomy occurs in 1-2%. Following radical surgery mild leakage occurs in 20-40% and more significant incontinence in 10%.
Diagnosis
It’s important to determine the type of urinary incontinence that you have, and your symptoms often tell your doctor which type you have. That information will guide treatment decisions.
Your doctor is likely to start with a thorough history and physical exam. You may then be asked to do a simple maneuver that can demonstrate incontinence, such as coughing.
After that, your doctor will likely recommend:
- Urinalysis: A sample of your urine is checked for signs of infection, traces of blood or other abnormalities.
Treatment
The male sling is less invasive than other forms of treatment but whilst proving successful, it is a new treatment and does not rule out other forms of treatments.
Made from polypropylene mesh, the male sling is similar to the transvaginal tape used to treat female incontinence and is very effective for patients with mild to moderate incontinence. To reposition the curved part of the male urethra and prevent leakage, the male sling is implanted under general anaesthetic and passed through the urethra with a small incision to the perineum.
