Myoblast and fibroblast therapy for post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence: 1-year followup of 63 patients.

PURPOSE: We assessed the efficacy and safety of the application of autologous fibroblasts and myoblasts for treatment in post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence after a minimal followup of 1 year.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-three patients with stress urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy were treated with transurethral ultrasound guided injections of autologous fibroblasts and myoblasts obtained from skeletal muscle biopsies. All subjects were evaluated preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively in terms of incontinence and Quality of Life Instrument scores, urodynamic parameters, and morphology and function of the urethra and rhabdosphincter.

RESULTS: Of the 63 patients 41 were continent 12 months after implantation of cells, 17 showed improvement and 5 did not show any improvement. Incontinence and Quality of Life Instrument scores as well as thickness and contractility of the rhabdosphincter were significantly improved postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of myoblast and fibroblast therapy represents a minimally invasive, safe and effective treatment for post-prostatectomy incontinence after a followup of 1 year.