Urinary incontinence in men (male incontinence) is the inability to control the bladder and stop the flow of urine. Although it affects more women, it is a common condition in men and, depending on the cause, can be temporary or permanent.
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Male Incontinence
Male incontinence symptoms
From stress incontinence (when men leak a little when laughing or sneezing) to more serious forms of incontinence where complete loss of bladder control is experienced, London Urology specialises in the treatment of male incontinence.
Some men will experience frequent urges to go pass urine, which is urge incontinence, sometimes known as an overactive bladder.
Causes of male incontinence
Sometimes treatment for prostate cancer can cause urinary incontinence. Surgery and radiotherapy can damage the muscles of the valve of the sphincter, which controls urine flow.
Post-prostatectomy incontinence
Whilst the results of benign and radical prostatectomy procedures are generally excellent, both cut tissue immediately above the sphincter mechanism, and in some patients, the sphincter is injured. Stress incontinence following benign prostatectomy occurs in 1-2%. Following radical surgery mild leakage occurs in 20-40% and more significant incontinence in 10%. Post prostatectomy incontinence is not predictable, independent of technique, and neither surgeons nor patients should see this problem as a failure of ability
Enlarged prostate: An enlarged prostate, which obstructs the urethra, the tube which carries urine out of the body, is often responsible for an overactive bladder or urge incontinence, when men feel the bladder is never fully empty.
Male incontinence treatment
The male sling is less invasive than other forms of treatment but whilst proving successful, it is a new treatment and does not rule out other forms of treatments.
Made from polypropylene mesh, the male sling is similar to the transvaginal tape used to treat female incontinence and is very effective for patients with mild to moderate incontinence. To reposition the curved part of the male urethra and prevent leakage, the male sling is implanted under general anaesthetic and passed through the urethra with a small incision to the perineum.
Artificial urinary sphincter
Made from a special type of silicone, the artificial urinary sphincter is a device which replaces the function of the sphincter using three main parts: a cuff, a pump and a balloon, which are all connected by silicone tubing. It is an effective treatment for men with severe stress incontinence.
Implanted under general anaesthetic, the AUS cuff is inserted through an incision made in the perineum, between the scrotum and anus. A small incision is made in the groin, the balloon in the abdomen, and the pump in the scrotum.
The cuff is filled with fluid and keeps the urethra shut. When it is time to urinate, the scrotal pump is used. After a few minutes, the fluid returns from the balloon to the cuff, and the urethra tightly closes.
It is switched off for the first six weeks after surgery, after which your specialist will switch it on.
Find out more with our Male Incontinence FAQ.
Contact us
Mr Jeremy Ockrim is a specialist in treating both male and female incontinence. If you have a question or would like to book an initial consultation then you can contact our team by email [email protected] or call us on 020 7432 8297
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If you are self-paying you don’t need a referral from your GP for a consultation. You can simply refer yourself* and book an appointment.
If you have health insurance (e.g. Bupa, Axa Health, Aviva), you will need to contact your insurer to get authorisation before any treatment, and in most cases you will also require a referral letter from your GP.
If you are not registered with a GP, we have an in-house private GP practice you can use. Alternatively, we can suggest the most appropriate course of action for you to take, given your location and individual circumstances.
*Please note – for investigations such as X-rays and MRIs, a referral will be required. However, we may be able to arrange this for you through our on-site private GP.
