Inflatable artificial sphincter

An inflatable artificial sphincter is a device used to treat problems with the urinary or rectal sphincter. Sphincters are muscles that allow your body to hold in urine and feces.

Artificial sphincter - rectal or urinary

Inflatable artificial sphincter surgery is used to treat some types of urinary incontinence and fecal incontinence. The artificial sphincter is inserted into an area of the urinary tract or rectum, depending on the specific problem. The procedure is done under general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia.

An artificial sphincter consists of three parts:

• A cuff that fits around the urethra or anal canal (end of large intestine)
• A pressure regulating balloon
• A pump that inflates the cuff

To treat urinary incontinence, the cuff is placed around the urethra. When it is inflated, the urethra will close tightly.

To treat fecal incontinence, the cuff is placed around the anal canal, which is located between the anus and rectum.

The balloon is placed beneath the abdominal muscles and filled with a liquid.

The pump is placed in the labia for women and in the scrotum for men. Alternatively, the pump may be placed underneath the skin of the abdominal wall or thigh.

Squeezing the pump moves fluid from the cuff to the balloon. This action will allow the sphincter to relax so that you can urinate or have a bowel movement. A cuff around the urethra will reinflate on its own in 90 seconds; the artificial rectal sphincter reinflates in about 5 to 9 minutes.

People having an artificial rectal sphincter may be admitted to the hospital before surgery and receive medications that cleanse the bowel. The bowel cleansing may include a series of enemas and laxatives, followed by antibiotics taken by mouth.

If you had an artificial urinary sphincter placed, you may return from surgery with a Foley catheter in place. This catheter will be removed before you leave the hospital. The artificial sphincter cuff will be not be inflated immediately after surgery to allow the tissues to heal. About 6 weeks after surgery, you will be taught how to activate your pump to inflate the artificial sphincter.