The artificial urinary sphincter: experience with the AS 800 pump-control assembly for single-stage primary deactivation and activation--a preliminary report

The introduction of a new pump-control assembly mechanism for the artificial urinary sphincter has eliminated the need for two-stage surgical procedures in patients with urinary incontinence and has provided the option of deactivation or activation both at the time of implantation and at a later time, in accordance with the clinical judgment of the surgeon. Individualization of treatment on the basis of the patient's clinical condition is a considerable advance in the management of urinary incontinence because it allows broader applications in the use of the artificial sphincter.