Efficacy of the InVance™ Male Sling in Treating Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Three-Year Experience from a Single Centre

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the InVance (TM) male sling in treating stress urinary incontinence. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed operative logs from a single surgeon of 43 patients treated over a 3-year period (Feb. 2004 to Nov. 2006) for stress incontinence by implantation of a male bulbourethral bone-anchoring sling (InVance (TM)). The mean follow-up time was 24.2 months (range 4-38). Radical prostatectomy was the most common cause of incontinence in this group (33/43 cases; 76.7%). Efficacy was evaluated objectively in terms of the number of pads used per day, while subjective patient satisfaction was also recorded. We also investigated a possible correlation between preoperative parameters and outcome. Results: Twenty-two patients (51.2%) were cured (totally dry: 30.2%; the remainder: 1 pad per day), while 8 (18.6%) patients improved but still required two pads per day. Overall, 30 of 43 patients (69.6%) were satisfied with the outcome of the operation. Postoperative infection was the most common complication (11.6%). The severity of preoperative incontinence correlated with the outcome of the operation, with mild incontinence giving better results. Conclusions: The bone-anchored male sling is an effective and minimally invasive treatment for mild-to-moderate male urinary incontinence. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel