Preliminary results of the external urinary sphincter Uroflex® on the quality of life of patients with male urinary incontinence after prostate surgery: tolerance, severity of incontinence, and quality of life

• Published in: International urology and nephrology Vol. 56; no. 9; pp. 2833 - 2838
• Main Authors: Yáñez-Castillo, Yaiza María, Nogueras-Ocaña, Mercedes, Jiménez-Pacheco, Antonio, Folgueral-Corral, María Eugenia, Arrabal-Martín, Miguel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nephrology; Prostate; Quality of life; Sphincter; Surgery; Urinary incontinence; Urology; Urology - Original Paper; Urinary incontinence; Radical prostatectomy; Male urinary incontinence; External urinary sphincter
• ISSN: 1573-2584; 0301-1623; 1573-2584
• DOI: 10.1007/s11255-024-04027-3

Purpose This study aims to establish the ability of the Uroflex® external artificial sphincter to reduce the severity of male urinary incontinence and improve the quality of life of patients with male urinary incontinence. Methods A pre–post pilot study was carried out on a sample of 30 patients with male urinary incontinence. Tolerability and satisfaction were assessed by comparing the results of the Pad test, and EQ-5D and KHQ questionnaires before and after 3 months of using Uroflex®. Results At 3 months, 76.6% of patients continued using Uroflex®. The median score for overall satisfaction with the device was 8 out of 10. Pad test showed a significant reduction in the severity of male urinary incontinence at 3 months ( p  < 0.001), with resolution of all symptoms in 31% of patients. The KHQ showed a significant improvement in global quality of life ( p  = 0.003). This was also significant for five of the nine specific dimensions assessed. There was also an improvement in self-rated health using the EQ-5D questionnaire, although not significant ( p  = 0.075). Conclusion The Uroflex® external urinary sphincter seems to improve the severity of urinary incontinence and quality of life of patients with male urinary incontinence after prostate surgery. These encouraging results will need to be confirmed in larger controlled studies.