Long-term Functional Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction After AdVance and AdVanceXP Male Sling Surgery

Transobturator male sling has gained increasing acceptance for the treatment of male urinary incontinence. Several prospective trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the AdVance and AdVanceXP slings.

To evaluate long-term functional outcomes after AdVance or AdVanceXP sling implant for non-neurogenic male stress urinary incontinence and identify factors associated with a higher risk for incontinence or decreased satisfaction.

Patients who underwent AdVance or AdVanceXP implant surgery between June 2007 and April 2018 were retrospectively included in this single-institution, consecutive series.

In April 2020, patients were recontacted to evaluate long-term functional outcomes and satisfaction by standardized, validated questionnaires.

A total of 216 patients were included in this study; 172 of them could be contacted for the assessment of long-term patient reported outcomes. The median follow-up period was 49 mo. Overall social continence (ie, needing no more than one pad per 24 h) at 5-yr follow-up was 66% (confidence interval [CI]: 58-73%). In an ideal population (ie, needing no more than four pads per 24 h and naïve for pelvic radiotherapy, prior incontinence surgery, or urethral stricture surgery), 5-yr social continence rates were markedly better and reached 79% (CI: 69-85%). Overall social continence rates tended to decrease at 10-yr follow-up to 42% (CI: 33-52%). Overall, totally dry rate at 5-yr follow-up was 53% (CI: 46-60%), which again was significantly better in the ideal population (62%, CI: 51-70%). According to the Patient Global Improvement Indices score, 71% (CI: 63-78%) of patients indicated to be satisfied after 5 yr, which improved to 77% (CI: 67-85%) in the ideal patient population. In a multivariate analysis, prior pelvic radiotherapy and previous incontinence or urethral stricture surgery were associated with decreased continence rates and patient satisfaction.

In general, long-term continence rates and patient satisfaction after AdVance and AdVance XP sling surgery are acceptable but deteriorate significantly as time from surgery progresses. Especially patients with a history of pelvic radiotherapy, prior incontinence surgery, or urethral stricture surgery should be counseled properly about their higher risk for sling failure.

In this report, we investigated long-term outcomes after Advance and AdvanceXP sling implant for male stress urinary incontinence. We found that, in general, continence and patient satisfaction are acceptable but deteriorate significantly as time from surgery progresses. Patients with previous pelvic radiotherapy, incontinence surgery, or urethral stricture surgery are at higher risk for sling failure.