Placement of a wire mesh prosthesis in the external urinary sphincter of men with spinal cord injuries.

Abstract

The authors report their experience with an intraurethral prosthetic stent as an alternative treatment for detrusor-external urethral sphincter dyssynergia (DESD). A sphincter prosthesis was inserted into the membranous urethra of 25 men with spinal cord injuries, DESD, and elevated voiding pressure. Bladder voiding pressure decreased from 87 cm H2O +/- 23 to 27 cm H2O +/- 11 in 12 months (P < .001). There was a significant decrease in residual urine volume 12 months after prosthesis placement, from 122 mL +/- 77 to 33 mL +/- 19 (P < .01); bladder capacity remained relatively unchanged, from 174 mL +/- 84 to 230 mL +/- 92 (P < .57). No deleterious effects were seen in renal or erectile function. Migration of three prostheses occurred 1 day to 6 weeks after insertion. One additional complication, pyelonephritis, occurred in a patient with preexisting vesicoureteral reflux, necessitating reimplantation of bilateral ureters. The intraurethral wire mesh prosthesis, with its simplicity of placement and minimal associated morbidity, offers a potential alternative to external sphincterotomy.