[Incontinence after radical prostatectomy : Male Sling or "best option" first?]

Postprostatectomy incontinence (PPI) is a rare complication of radical prostatectomy, and it may lead to severe limitations for the patient and loss of quality of life. Several different surgical options for the therapy of PPI are available and may be chosen depending on severity of incontinence, residual urethral sphincter function, and previous history of radiotherapy. Alternatives to artificial urinary sphincters which over the last few decades have represented the gold standard for treatment of PPI are fixed slings and adjustable devices. In cases of mild or moderate incontinence, male slings can be used. Adjustable devices can also be adopted in irradiated patient with good results. Artificial urinary sphincters represent the ideal option in case of severe incontinence. Absolute contraindications for the implant of this device are impaired dexterity and cognitive capacity of the patients that may make use of the pump difficult. One type of therapy for all patients does not exist and must be individually determined. It is influenced by the grade of incontinence, the anatomical conditions, and the patient's expectations. Thus, appropriate counselling is mandatory. A common opinion is that these devices are direct competitors in the treatment of PPI. In reality, these devices are completely different surgical methods that rely on different principles and therefore have different indications.