Editing AUA: Incontinence after Prostate Therapy (2019) (section)

===== AUS =====

====== Indications ======
*'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Consider for mild to severe SUI</span>'''
* '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Preferred in patients with prior (3):</span>'''
** '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Radiation</span>'''
*** Improved outcomes compared to male slings or adjustable balloons for treatment of patients with SUI after primary, adjuvant, or salvage radiotherapy
*** '''Complication rates are higher'''
** '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Urethral reconstruction</span>'''
*** Urethral strictures of the anterior urethra and urethral stenosis of the posterior urethra can arise after RP, RT, or treatment for IPT. Urethral reconstructive surgery is often used to treat narrowing in the urethra.
*** '''Male slings will not be effective given post-surgical changes related to most types of urethral reconstruction in the posterior and anterior urethra'''
*** '''Complications rates are higher'''
**** Depending on the technique employed (urethra transecting or not) the blood supply to the urethra may be diminished and potentially decrease the life span of an AUS.
** '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis or bladder neck contracture</span>'''
*** Decreased success rates when undergoing male slings

====== Contraindications ======
*'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Inadequate physical or cognitive abilities to operate the device</span>'''

====== Procedure ======
* '''Single cuff perineal approach is preferred, superior outcomes compared to transverse scrotal incision'''

====== Complications ======
* '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Intraoperative urethral injury</span>'''
** '''<span style="color:#ff0000">If identified during implantation, procedure should be abandoned and subsequent implantation should be delayed</span>'''
* '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Persistent leakage</span>'''
* '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Cuff erosion</span>'''
** Can be due to unrecognized urethral injury at the time of initial surgery or more likely due to subsequent instrumentation of the urethra including catheterization.
** '''Management:'''
*** '''AUS explant with the urethral catheter left in place for a few weeks to allow the urethral defect to heal'''
*** '''AUS should not be re-implanted until at least 3 months'''
* '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Infection</span>'''
** '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Device infection occurs in <1-5% of cases'''
** '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Diagnosis and Evaluation'''
***'''<span style="color:#ff0000">History and Physical Exam'''
****'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Presents with (4):'''
****#'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Pain at the site of the AUS'''
****#'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Fever'''
****#'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Scrotal warmth or erythema'''
****#'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Skin changes'''
** '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Management:'''
*** '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Urgent AUS explantation'''
*** '''AUS should not be reimplanted until at least 3 months''' to allow the infection to clear and inflammation to subside.
* '''<span style="color:#ff0000">Mechanical failure</span>'''
*'''<span style="color:#ff0000">Decreased efficacy over time and reoperations are common</span>'''
** '''The current version consists of''' a hydraulic system composed of '''3 separate parts:'''
**# '''A urethral cuff''' of varying sizes
**# '''A pressure regulating balloon reservoir''' with three available pressure profiles
**# '''A control pump'''
*** The device will fail if any of the 3 parts, the tubing, or connections suffer a micro-perforation with loss of fluid
** The rate of device failure increases with time, with '''failure rates of'''
*** '''≈24% at 5 years'''
*** '''≈ 50% at 10 years'''
** '''AUS might need to be replaced over time due to persistent or recurrent incontinence generally due to (3):'''
**# '''Urethral atrophy'''
**# '''Improper cuff sizing'''
**# '''Partial fluid loss'''