Artificial sphincter insertion after radiotherapy: is it worthwhile?

Objective To determine the influence of radiotherapy on the outcome of arti ficial urinary sphincter implantation. Patients and methods A series of 72 men who had an artificial urinary sphin cter inserted were reviewed retrospectively, analysing in detail the inform ation from 15 patients with a past history of pelvic radiotherapy, Results In those who had undergone radiotherapy, the complication rate was higher, both for re-operation (eight of 15) and infection (three); 11 of th e 15 patients were continent after surgery, compared with 51 (89%) of the 5 7 in the unirradiated group. Conclusions An artificial sphincter can be inserted after pelvic radiothera py reasonably successfully, but at the cost of a high complication and re-o peration rate. Patients with a previous history of radiotherapy should be i nformed of the higher risk of surgical revision associated. with insertion of the prosthesis.