Urinary incontinence in the older man.

Abstract

Older men experience UI less often than older women, but the disruption and bother they experience because of UI is significant. Several anatomic differences between men and women account for different pathophysiology of incontinence. In men, overflow incontinence and detrusor instability predominate; stress incontinence is seen only in cases in which men have had prostate surgery. Reported symptoms of urgency and urge incontinence may be particularly difficult to interpret clinically in men because they might indicate detrusor instability or bladder outlet obstruction causing uninhibited contractions. The medical evaluation of UI is similar for men and women; men being evaluated for UI need a postvoid residual. Noninvasive measurement of urine flow may add to the diagnostic accuracy of detecting bladder outlet obstruction, but the results may not agree with results obtained by pressure-flow studies. Prostate surgery can result in UI, and biofeedback can be an effective treatment. Near-continual leakage after prostate surgery seems to be most responsive to artificial sphincter implantation. Male nursing home patients with UI present a different challenge in that mental and physical dysfunction must be addressed. Staff-dependent interventions are the most appropriate.