Artificial Urinary Sphincter

An ARTIFICIAL URINARY SPHINCTER restores normal urinary function to patients with weakened sphincter muscles. Involuntary urine leakage occurs when the sphincter is too weak to hold urine in the body.

The artificial sphincter is composed of three parts:

• An inflatable cuff that applies pressure on the urethra to hold back urine
• A balloon that controls the pressure applied by the cuff
• A control pump that inflates and deflates the cuff by regulating the flow of fluid between the cuff and balloon.

In order to perform the procedure:

• An incision is made in the scrotum, labia, or lower belly to insert the device.
• The balloon sits under the belly muscles.
• The pump is placed either in the scrotum in men or underneath the skin of the lower belly or leg of women.

Only patients suffering from severe incontinence are considered for the procedure. All patients must possess the hand strength to operate the pump and understand that 20% require future operations to address tissue atrophy, cuff maintenance, mechanical failure, and device infection.

Patients risk bleeding and the deterioration of surrounding tissues due to constant mechanical manipulation of the device.