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Inflatable artificial sphincter

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Inflatable artificial sphincter

Definition:

This is a surgical procedure to insert an inflatable artificial sphincter to treat either urinary sphincteric incontinence (artificial urinary sphincter will be inserted) or fecal incontinence (artificial rectal sphincter will be inserted) caused by a sphincter dysfunction or injury.

The urinary and rectal sphincters are the muscles that allow your body to hold urine and feces, respectively.

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Alternative Names:
Artificial sphincter - rectal or urinary

Description:

An artificial sphincter consists of three parts:

• A cuff that fits around the bladder neck (or anal canal for the artificial rectal sphincter)
• A pressure regulating balloon
• A pump that inflates the cuff

To treat urinary incontinence, the cuff is placed around the urethra so that when it is inflated, the urethra will close tightly. To treat fecal incontinence, the cuff is placed around the anal canal.

The pressure-regulating balloon will be placed beneath the abdominal muscles. The balloon is filled with a liquid (occasionally, an iodine-based solution will be used so that it will be visualized when X-ray procedures are performed).

The control pump mechanism 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.

To use the sphincter, the person will squeeze the pump to divert urine (or feces) from the cuff to the balloon. This action will allow the sphincter to relax so that the person can urinate (or defecate). The cuff will then reinflate on its own in 3 to 5 minutes; the artificial rectal sphincter reinflates in 10 minutes.