What is post-prostatectomy incontinence?
After a procedure, it takes time for the body to heal, and sometimes, there can be side effects from surgery. Following a prostatectomy, a surgery performed by a urologist that removes the prostate to treat cancer or hyperplasia, a key complication can be post-prostatectomy incontinence.
Post-prostatectomy incontinence refers to the inability to control your urination following prostate surgery. It isn’t uncommon for patients to have temporary incontinence following the procedure, lasting up to 12 weeks post operation.
Are there different kinds of post-prostatectomy incontinence?
There are several different kinds of post-prostatectomy incontinence, including:
- Stress incontinence refers to urination or leakage during physical activity, including exercising, sneezing, or coughing.
- Urge incontinence is the sudden need to urinate.
- Orgasmic incontinence occurs when you’re sexually aroused or at the time of ejaculation.
While most of these are temporary, six to eight percent of men can experience long-term incontinence following the complete removal of their prostate.
How do you treat or manage post-prostatectomy incontinence?
Depending on the degree of leakage you experience, treatment for post-prostatectomy incontinence can include medications or physical therapy for mild incontinence.
For more severe cases of incontinence, an additional surgery may be needed to help lessen or control the incontinence. The most common procedure used to help control urine flow post-prostatectomy is an artificial urinary sphincter.
If you find you are struggling with incontinence following your prostatectomy, you can make an appointment to discuss possible treatments with one of our urologists at 515.875.9800.