Artificial Urinary Sphincter Implant Specialist
Urologists located in Pasadena, CA
Artificial urinary sphincter implants are the gold standard for treating men with stress urinary incontinence. The skilled physicians at Pasadena Urological Medical Group have extensive experience implanting artificial urinary sphincters, helping men regain control and return to their daily activities with confidence. To learn more about this advanced treatment, call the office in Pasadena, California, or request an appointment online today.
An AUS implant takes over for your natural sphincter, a round muscle that controls the flow of urine from your bladder.
The muscle usually stays closed until you consciously relax it when you need to urinate. Then urine leaves your bladder and flows through the urethra, the tube carrying urine from the bladder, through your penis, and out of your body.
When the muscle weakens, it lets urine uncontrollably leak out. Men with urinary incontinence can use the AUS device to stop the leakage and control urination.
The AUS treats urine leakage caused by stress urinary incontinence (SUI). When men develop SUI, it’s typically due to nerve damage or surgery to treat prostate cancer.
SUI occurs when sudden pressure on the bladder forces urine to leak out. For example, you may leak when you exercise, laugh, cough, or lift a heavy object.
The AUS device consists of three components:
The artificial sphincter is a small cuff that goes around your urethra, just above the scrotum. The cuff is filled with fluid that keeps it closed around the urethra, preventing urine leakage.
Your provider places a small medical-grade balloon inside the abdominal wall above your bladder. The balloon serves as a reservoir that holds fluid from the artificial sphincter.
A pump placed inside your scrotum allows you to control the artificial sphincter. When you need to urinate, you press the pump.
Pressing the pump releases fluid from the artificial sphincter cuff. As the fluid leaves the cuff and goes to the balloon, the cuff opens, and you urinate. After a few minutes, the balloon reservoir automatically refills the cuff, closing the urethra.
After giving you anesthesia and inserting a urinary catheter, your provider makes two small incisions. They insert the pump and cuff through one incision, put the balloon in place through the other, and connect the components.
After spending a little time in recovery, you go home the same day. You may still leak urine for a short time because you need to heal before your provider activates the AUS device. They usually activate it 4-6 weeks after your surgery.
To learn if you’re a good candidate for an artificial urinary sphincter, call Pasadena Urological Medical Group or book an appointment online today.