[Treatment of postoperative male urinary incontinence by bone-anchored male sling].

Objective: To evaluate the results of treatment of postoperative male stress urinary incontinence by placement of an AMS Invance bone-anchored male sling (BAMS).
Material and Method: Between February 2005 and May 2007, 29 patients with stress urinary incontinence secondary to prostatic surgery were treated by Invance bone-anchored male sling. This BAMS consists of a silicone-coated polyester sling placed around the bulbar urethra and anchored to the ischiopubic rami by six titanium screws. According to the number of protections used per 24 hour, patients were considered to present mild (one to two), moderate (three to four) or severe (five or more, or penile sheath) incontinence. The number of protections, the continence rate and early and late complications were reported. Success or continence was defined by the absence of urine leaks and protections.
Results: The mean age of the patients of this series was 67.5 years. Incontinence was mild for 12 patients (41.4%), moderate for six patients (20.7%) and severe for 11 patients (37.9%). The mean interval between prostatic surgery and BAMS placement was 47.9 months. The mean operating time was 65.8 minutes. There were no intraoperative complications. Two cases (7%) of spontaneously resolving acute urinary retention were observed. Explantation of the BAMS for chronic perineal pain or operative site infection was performed in five patients (17%) after a mean interval of 4.1 months (range: 1-8.5 months). The revision rate for repositioning of the screws was 10.3% (three patients). The continence rate at three months was 62.5%. After a mean follow-up of 11.5 months, this rate was 37.5%, corresponding to 77.8% of patients with initially mild or moderate incontinence and 22.2% with severe incontinence. Residual incontinence was mild in 41.7%, moderate in 8.3% and severe in 12.5%. Four patients with persistent urinary incontinence after BAMS placement were treated by artificial urinary sphincter.
Conclusion: Bone-anchored male sling is a minimally invasive treatment for postoperative male urinary incontinence, but is associated with significant morbidity (five explanations in a series of 29 patients). Better results were obtained for mild to moderate incontinence.