Surgery for male urinary incontinence

Sling surgery is a very common surgery that surgeons use to treat urinary incontinence in men.

In the male sling procedure, synthetic mesh-like surgical tape is placed around the part of the urethral bulb, slightly compressing and moving the urethra to the new position. The urethra is a tube through which urine is thrown out of the body.

The sling is like a hammock made of a soft, flexible polypropylene mesh material, that lifts and supports the urethra and the neck of the bladder. This surgery helps people who have urinary incontinence.

This procedure is mainly for men who have urinary incontinence- loss of bladder control after prostate surgery, particularly for those who require radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.

Lifestyle changes such as losing weight, Kegel exercises will help if the symptoms are mild. But, after doing, if you still have the severity of stress incontinence and it is affecting your quality of life then sling surgery would be the best option.

Complications are rare with male sling procedures. But may have,

• Inability to urinate
• Bleeding, and infection- this is a rare complication
• Erosion is rare
• Recurrent leakage of urine.

Before the surgery:

You will be asked to consume only liquids the night before surgery which can be soups and juices. This will keep the bowel clean during the surgery and reduces the risks of contamination.

Do not drink or eat anything after midnight the night before surgery. If any medication to be taken, it should be taken with a small sip of water.

During the surgery:

Sling procedure: A thin strip of mesh is used to make the sling. An incision is made through the perineal tissue between the scrotum and anus. Then, the urethra is exposed, and the surgeon will use a supportive sling around the part of the urethra close to where it enters the area of the urethral sphincter. This gives support to the bladder neck, this way the urethra stays closed when you cough, sneeze or laugh. This procedure is helpful for patients with mild to moderate urinary incontinence. This surgery is most commonly used after radical prostatectomy.

After the sling surgery:

After the surgery, you will have a catheter exiting from the urethra for few days. It is placed to empty the bladder since there could be swelling post-surgery that can make it difficult to urinate. After the swelling goes, you will have a normal urination pattern which may take a few weeks.