Artificial urinary sphincters: plain radiography of malfunction and complications

Inflatable artificial urinary sphincters provide excellent voluntary continence. Eighty-four consecutive patients underwent implantation of artificial urinary sphincters for intractable urinary incontinence; 33 patients had 58 episodes of sphincter malfunction, and eight patients had eight complications involving a functional prosthetic sphincter. Retrospective analysis was performed to determine the value of plain radiography of the pelvis in patients with sphincter malfunction or complication. The cause of malfunction in the majority of patients was a system leak and subsequent loss of hydraulic fluid (31 occurrences; 53%). Plain radiography permitted correct identification of all instances of fluid leakage in patients with opacified prostheses. Plain radiographs were of no value in examining patients with nonopacified prostheses or the complications of cuff erosion or wound infection. Due to the low cost and noninvasive nature of plain radiography of the pelvis, we conclude that it should be used as the initial diagnostic modality in patients with previously opacified but currently dysfunctional artificial urinary sphincters.