Male Slings
Slings made up of mesh have traditionally been used to treat incontinence in females but over the last decade these have also been increasingly used for incontinence in men. There are different kinds of mesh but the most common are the AdVance male sling, the InVance Sling, and more recently the Virtue Male Sling.
What are the advantages of the AdVance Male Sling?
The surgery to place the sling is fairly straightforward and most patients will be discharged home the day after surgery. It can be used for mild and moderate amounts of incontinence and works well particularly in men who have remaining sphincteric function. In addition to this there are no pumps to push on to urinate (unlike the artificial urinary sphincter) and patients can void as they normally would in the bathroom.
What are the problems with the AdVance Male Sling?
Patients must restrict certain types of movements such as spreading their legs and minimize any heavy lifting or sports for at least 3 months afterwards. Additionally, for severe incontinence or total incontinence, Male Slings will often not make patients fully dry. More recently there has been general concern about the use of mesh in people. Complications reported include erosion of the mesh into the urethra and the development of infections of the mesh. Although the data is still out on this, it is probably less common than it is in women but if it occurs AdVance mesh erosion and/or infection can be very challenging to treat.
Which is better the AdVance Male Sling or the Artificial Urinary Sphincter?
We are concerned about that the use of mesh in the human body has not been full evaluated and there may be complications such as an infection of the mesh that can be difficult to treat. For this reason we prefer the Artificial Urinary Sphincter which has many decades of data as well as experience (including our own) behind it.
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Why Choose a Uro Center Urologist in New York?
The urologists at the Uro Center in New York are experts in their field, bringing academic and research based innovation to the clinical forefront. Our urology team specializes in areas of treatment such as: robotic surgery, reconstructive urology, men’s health & infertility, kidney stones, urologic oncology, penile implant surgery, urethral stricture, BPH, Urinary incontinence treatment, Mesh complications, Enlarged prostate treatment, Urodynamics, vesicovaginal fistula and female incontinence in New York.
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