Patient information
Why does stress urinary incontinence occur ?
Involuntary leakage of urine on any activity, like coughing, sneezing, lifting, bending is called Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). SUI occurs when the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body) does not remain sealed until it is time to urinate. Male stress urinary incontinence is nearly always related to a weakness of the sphincter (the circular muscle around the urethra), can be due to surgery, or radiation, or neurological diseases.
How does the I-STOP® TOMS® sling works ?
The I-STOP®TOMS® sling is designed to create a compression on the urethral muscle. The device is made with a non resorbable mesh, specifically designed for urethral sling applications. The polymer used is polypropylene, a synthetic material that is well tolerated by the human body and provides long-term support to the sphincter (valve).
How the I-STOP® TOMS® sling is inserted ?
The insertion I-STOP®TOMS® sling requires three small incisions. Your surgeon will create a small incision in the midline below the scrotum to introduce the sling in your body. Two additional small incisions will allow your surgeon to secure the sling in place. Surgery is done under spinal or general anesthetic as an outpatient.
What can I expect after the procedure ?
- Your physician may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection for one week.
- Surgery is done as an outpatient.
- The post operative pain is moderate to low.
- You will go home with a Foley catheter and a leg bag.
- If your bladder doesn’t empty properly after surgery, you may need a catheter for a
couple of days until normal bladder function returns. - Some patients may require self-intermittent catheterization.
What are the risks of this procedure ?
Sling procedures have successfully treated 80% of patients. Complications associated with the surgical implantation of a sling are low but may include urinary retention, hemorrhage or hematoma, infection or wound site irritation. You may have to go through another surgery if complications happen or recurrence of urinary leakage or persistent SUI.
What results can I expect ?
In a clinical study 1-2-3, the I-STOP®TOMS® sling provided excellent results. One-year follow-up revealed a patient satisfaction rate of 80% and extremely low rate of complications with a signicant improvement of continence. 1 – Literature on file. 2 – Grise Ph. Et al. Trans-obturator male sling TOMS for the treatment of urinary stress incontinence in men. ICS 2008.3 – Grise Ph. Incontinence after prostatectomy, transobturator I-STOP male sling as a new option treatment. European Renal & Genito Urinary Disease 2006 69-70. 2009
