When your urinary sphincter is working properly, it allows urine to pass from the bladder into the urethra and out of your body. It is a small muscle that controls urine flow, and when the muscle contracts, it closes the opening of the bladder and stops urine from leaving your body. However, if this muscle is not working as it should, you may have urinary incontinence and not be able to control when you pee. It’s possible to have an artificial one implanted, but who is a candidate for an artificial urinary sphincter?
Best Candidates for an Artificial Urinary Sphincter
You must be evaluated by a physician like our reconstructive urologist, Dr. Roger Khouri to determine if you meet the criteria for getting an artificial sphincter. Not everyone is a good candidate. Contact our urology clinic in Hauppauge and Bay Shore, NY by calling (631) 273-1258.
Initially, you must have severe symptoms, and not have gotten any relief from medications, biofeedback, or any other medical procedures.
Men who have had their prostate removed, known as a prostatectomy, are prime candidates, as well as men who had radiation therapy for prostate cancer. These two treatments can result in urinary incontinence.
In addition, the patient’s bladder must meet the following criteria:
- Must be large enough to hold urine between times of urination
- Must be neurologically unimpaired
- Does not contract regularly causing high bladder pressure, urgency, or frequent urination
- No infection
In addition, the patient must be able to completely empty their bladder.
Manual Control
Once an artificial sphincter has been implanted, it gives the patient manual control of their urine flow when they are no longer able to do it naturally.
It replaces a damaged urinary sphincter and allows a man to have control over his bladder by keeping the bladder closed until he wants to pee. Then he squeezes a control pump which opens a cuff around the urethra allowing urine to pass through.
It has a high satisfaction rate of 90% and is the best treatment for urinary incontinence in men.
Women can also have this implant, but it is performed significantly less.
Finding the Right Surgeon
You must find a surgeon who has the experience and expertise to perform the implantation of an artificial urinary sphincter like Dr. Khouri in Hauppauge and Bay Shore, NY.
Our office will provide all the necessary information for post-surgical care and any complications that could arise. If you are weary of the embarrassment of urinary incontinence, contact Dr. Roger Khouri at (631) 273-1258 for an evaluation to find out if you are a candidate for an artificial urinary sphincter.