Bladder Leakage Due to Prostate Cancer Surgery

One of the most common forms of cancer in males in the United States is prostate cancer. A patient with prostate cancer may not have any prevalent symptoms initially; however, as the cancer progresses, the earliest symptom is an obstruction of the lower urinary tract. One treatment for prostate cancer is surgery. However, many men experience a side effect of prostate surgery, which is incontinence.

Incontinence

• Many men experience incontinence after they have prostate surgery. This may include prostate surgery like radical prostatectomy. Incontinence is the inability to control the passage of urine especially after or during physical activity. The different types of incontinence may include drops of urine passing through the bladder and urge incontinence, which may cause an urgent need to urinate and leakage before the bathroom is reached. Stress incontinence is caused when the pelvic muscles are weakened and urine leakage occurs even if the man sneezes.

Stress Incontinence

• The most common form of incontinence men experience after prostate surgery is stress incontinence. During prostate surgery, the sphincter muscles may be damaged and this may cause the sphincter muscles to be weakened, causing leakage when under stressful conditions like physical activity.

Temporary Condition

• In most men, incontinence after prostate surgery is a temporary condition. This may be caused by catheter irritation or by weakness or damage to the sphincter muscle. The condition may last from two weeks to six to eight months and the intensity of the condition varies from individual to individual.

Treatment

• If incontinence develops after prostate cancer surgery, the patient should inform her physician. Many men feel embarrassed and fail to get help. However, this is a fairly common condition that can be treated. Depending on the patient, the physician may recommend exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles or may prescribe medication that helps control the incontinence. In severe conditions, treatments like ProACT, injectables or an artificial urinary sphincter may be recommended.

ProACT

• ProACT is the latest form of surgery that helps treat stress urinary incontinence. This treatment is currently available only outside the United States. ProACT is a device consisting of two balloons. These are implanted under the area where the prostate surgery took place. These balloons help prevent leakage of urine. The pressure from the balloons prevents leakage during physical activity. The device is simple to implant and the doctor can remove the device or inflate and deflate it as necessary.

Lifestyle

• Certain lifestyle behaviors aggravate incontinence, and if these are controlled, the severity of the disorder may be reduced. This may include but is not limited to smoking (causes coughing that may cause leakage and bladder irritation); alcohol and caffeine should be limited, as both stimulate the bladder; control of weight and blood sugar level, as both cause bladder irritation; and increase fiber in your diet.

Exercise Regime

• Exercise can help strengthen your pelvic muscles and restore control of your bladder muscles. These exercises are called Kegel exercises. The bladder has to be trained to control the passage of urine. Go to the bathroom on a schedule regardless of your need to go. This schedule should be regularly increased by 30 minutes until you are able to urinate every three to four hours. Kegel exercises have to be performed for five minutes at least three times a day where you contract and relax the pelvic muscles every ten seconds or at ten-second intervals.