Artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) is an option for the treatment of neurogenic stress urinary incontinence (nSUI), but complications and re-operation rates are high, and there is no clear indication from guidelines (1). The aim of our study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a less invasive continence device in neurogenic population: Adjustable Continence Therapy ProACT/ACT®.
We retrospectively includedpatients with spinal cord injuries in this study, complaining of nSUI and treated at our Institution with Pro-ACT/ACT® implantation. Diagnosis of nSUI was achieved with clinical history data collection and video-urodynamic testing.
We treated 13 males and 3 females by proACT/ACT device, mean age 47.5 years (range 27-71). Fifteen implantations were performed bilaterally under spinal anesthesia and under fluoroscopic control; in one male patient, only the right balloon was implanted. Mean refilling number was 2.8 (range 0-6), and mean final volume was 3.6 ml. No patient reported any perioperative complications according to Clavien-Dindo. Follow-up was 37 months (range 7-156). Five patients (31%) underwent device explantation for deflate in one case, erosion or migration in three cases (18%), and infection in one case. About 43.75% of patients were dry and 18.75% improved more than 50% their urine loss, 37.5% of patients improved less than 50%, and no one reported worsening of incontinence.
Implantation of proACT/ACT® device is safe and a minimally invasive procedure also in neurological patients, with a relative low rate of intra and postoperative complications. Efficacy is good, although slightly lower than the results in non-neurological patients.
Urologia. 2017 May 16 [Epub ahead of print]
Enrico Ammirati, Alberto Manassero, Alessandro Giammò, Roberto Carone
Department of Urology, Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Molinette Hospital, Turin - Italy., Department of Neuro-Urology, Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, CTO-USU, Turin - Italy.