Stress incontinence associated with urethral hypermobility is sometimes categorized as type 1 or type 2.
- Type 1 is the less severe form and the bladder neck and urethra remain incompletely closed.
- In type 2, the angle of the bladder neck shifts. In such cases cystocele may occur, in which the bladder muscles bulge (herniate) into the vaginal wall.
Intrinsic sphincteric deficiency (ISD). Intrinsic sphincter deficiency (sometimes called type 3) is the other major cause of stress incontinence in women. It occurs when the bladder neck muscles are damaged or weakened. The result is twofold:
- The bladder neck is open during filling
- The closing pressure around the urethra is low
This is the most severe stress incontinence in women and usually occurs after previous surgeries for incontinence.
Causes of Stress Incontinence in Men
Prostate treatments can impair the sphincter muscles. Such treatments are the major causes of stress incontinence in men. They include the following:
Surgery or radiation for prostate cancer. Incontinence occurs in nearly all male patients for the first 3 to 6 months after radical prostatectomy. After a year of the procedure, most men retain continence, although leakage can occur.
Surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Stress incontinence occurs in 1 - 5% of men after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), the standard treatment for severe benign prostatic hyperplasia.
 | Click the icon to see an illustrated series detailing TURP surgery. |
Incontinence after prostate procedures is often a combination of urge and stress. Because studies often combine the two types of incontinence, it is not always clear which predominates.
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