Salvage procedure for infected noneroded artificial urinary sphincters.

PURPOSE: We report our experience with removal, antiseptic irrigation and immediate reimplantation of infected noneroded artificial urinary sphincters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 1996 to October 2000, 8 patients with an infected artificial urinary sphincter underwent a total of 9 salvage operations. All patients underwent cystoscopy before salvage to ensure nonerosion of the sphincter cuff. All previously implanted material was removed, the wounds were copiously irrigated according to a 7 solution protocol and an identical new system was implanted. All patients were discharged home the following morning on oral antibiotics.

RESULTS: Followup was 5 to 66 months (mean 33). The predominant organisms cultured at salvage were gram-positive cocci. Time from implantation to salvage was from 2 weeks to 64 months (mean 13.7 months). Prostatectomy was the etiology of incontinence in all except 1 case. In 5 of the 8 men a double cuff system was placed and 3 underwent concurrent 3-piece inflatable penile prosthesis salvage. The salvage procedure was done twice in 1 patient 5 months apart. The system was removed 16 months later secondary to urethral erosion. At the most recent followup the other 7 patients were free of infection with a functioning artificial urinary sphincter.

CONCLUSIONS: Salvage and immediate reimplantation of an infected, noneroded single or double cuff artificial urinary sphincter appears to be a valid option. Our overall success rate was 87%. The usual offending organisms are gram-positive skin flora. An associated inflatable penile prosthesis does not prohibit simultaneous salvage of the 2 devices.