[Follow-up of the FlowSecure artificial urinary sphincter]. / Seguimiento del esfínter urinario artificial FlowSecure.

The AMS-800 artificial urinary sphincter has been the only prosthesis available for treatment of stress urinary incontinence refractory to other therapeutic modalities for the past 25 years. The relatively high rate of complications occurring with the AMS-800 device during this time led to introduce a number of changes in its design that resulted in a new prostheses, the FlowSecure artificial sphincter. The FlowSecure artificial urinary sphincter is an adjustable prosthesis filled with normal saline without contrast. Plain X-rays cannot therefore be used for monitoring, and ultrasound is the most adequate radiographic technique for evaluation. In addition to calculating the post-void residue, ultrasound allows for verifying prosthesis status and for calculating the urethral occluding pressure. A detailed clinical history and flow rate measurement should be used together with the ultrasound scan to functionally assess patients with the FlowSecure device in order to determine the need for adjusting system pressure to the minimum pressure required for total continence.

Seguimiento del esfínter urinario artificial FlowSecure / Follow-up of the FlowSecure artificial urinary sphincter

El esfínter urinario artificial AMS-800 ha sido la única prótesis disponible para el tratamiento de la incontinencia urinaria de esfuerzo refractaria a otras modalidades terapéuticas durante los últimos 25 años. La tasa relativamente elevada de complicaciones derivadas de su utilización durante este tiempo provocó una serie de modificaciones en su diseño, lo que dio como resultado la aparición en el mercado del esfínter urinario artificial Flow Secure. El esfínter urinario artificial Flow Secure es una prótesis ajustable rellena de suero salino sin contraste, por lo que la radiografía simple no es útil para su seguimiento; la ecografía es la técnica radiológica más adecuada para su valoración. Además de calcular el residuo posmiccional, la ecografía permite verificar el estado de la prótesis y calcular la presión a la que está siendo sometida la uretra por el esfínter. Al uso de la ecografía debe de añadirse la utilización de flujometría y de una historia clínica detallada. Estos últimos son los elementos adecuados para realizar una valoración funcional correcta del paciente portador de la prótesis, ya que permiten valorar la necesidad de ajustar la presión del sistema a la continencia del paciente, si esto fuera necesario (AU)

The AMS-800 artificial urinary sphincter has been the only prosthesis available for treatment of stress urinary incontinence refractory to other therapeutic modalities for the past 25 years. The relatively high rate of complications occurring with the AMS-800 device during this time led to introduce a number of changes in its design that resulted in a new prostheses, the Flow Secure artificial sphincter. The Flow Secure artificial urinary sphincter is an adjustable prosthesis filled with normal saline without contrast. Plain X-rays cannot therefore be used for monitoring, and ultrasound is the most adequate radiographic technique for evaluation. In addition to calculating the post-void residue, ultrasound allows for verifying prosthesis status and for calculating the urethral occluding pressure. A detailed clinical history and flow rate measurement should be used together with the ultrasound scan to functionally assess patients with the Flow Secure device in order to determine the need for adjusting system pressure to the minimum pressure required for total continence (AU)

Surgical implantation of the new FlowSecure artificial urinary sphincter in the female bladder neck.

OBJECTIVE: To report implantation of the new FlowSecure artificial urinary sphincter with conditional occlusion in a female bladder neck, describe surgical technique and suggest minor modifications to accommodate the device for universal female implantation. PATIENT AND METHODS: A spina bifida female patient with urodynamically proven stress incontinence due to sphincteric incompetence associated to atonic detrusor was implanted with the new artificial sphincter. Operating time was one and a half hours. The cuff was adjusted to the bladder neck with no problems. Excess belt removed from the cuff was preserved and used for loose fixation of tubing and reservoirs in the right paravesical space. The control pump was placed in the right labia. The prosthesis was implanted at atmospheric pressure zero. RESULTS: The device was easily implanted. There were no perioperative complications. Catheter was removed 24 h post-implantation and patient achieved immediate total continence. There was no need for device pressurization at subsequent follow-up. The patient needed intermittent self-catheterization for emptying her bladder because of impaired detrusor contractility. CONCLUSIONS: Despite that the new FlowSecure artificial urinary sphincter has only been used for bulbar urethral implantation, we have successfully implanted the device in a female bladder neck with excellent clinical results. Cuff lengthening and connecting tubes shortening would probably enable all female patients to be suitable for implantation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the device has been implanted in a bladder neck.