Collagen injection therapy in the treatment of urinary incontinence

Patients with intrinsic sphincteric deficiency (ISD) require a procedure to create urethral compression or coaptation by employing a sling procedure, the artificial urinary sphincter, or intraurethral injections. Collagen, marketed under the trade name Contingen, is the most commonly used injectable in the United States currently. When a patient exhibits poor urethral function, lack of detrusor instability, and good anatomic support, she/he is considered an ideal candidate for intraurethral injections. Methods of injection are described for male and female patients. The only adverse effects of collagen injections have been transient and treatable, including urinary retention in up to 8% and urinary infection in 4%. The treatment response in female patients using collagen is similar to surgical procedures to correct ISD; newer approaches and techniques for needle localization appear promising in improving the results of implantation in male patients postprostatectomy.