Post Prostate Surgery Urinary Leakage 

Post prostate surgery urinary leakage is a treatable condition that sometimes lasts beyond three months. 

After undergoing surgery to treat prostate cancer, some men experience urinary incontinence to some degree. Luckily, post prostate surgery urinary leakage is treatable even if it persists beyond the first few months following the procedure. 

Causes of Post Prostate Surgery Urinary Leakage 

The surgery needed to remove the prostate (radical prostatectomy) involves the removal of one of the urinary valves outside of the prostate as well. These valves are responsible for keeping urine inside your body until your brain tells them to open for urination. As with your kidneys, you don’t necessarily need both urinary valves for your body to function properly. However, a radical prostatectomy can affect the nerves and muscles that receive signals from your brain when you have to urinate, which can lead to incontinence. 

Your age, physical health and urethra characteristics may have an effect on how long your post prostate surgery urinary leakage will last. Many men regain full control of their urine within a few months. 

Symptoms of Urinary Incontinence after Prostate Surgery 

This condition typically causes stress incontinence, which is leakage induced by certain movements or other bodily functions like sneezing, coughing or laughing. It could also become urge incontinence, which is where the urge to urinate strikes suddenly and you may leak urine on your way to the toilet. 

Your post prostate surgery urinary leakage may not mirror that of another patient, either—some men experience occasional periods of minimal leakage, while others deal with constant leakage. 

Diagnosing Post Prostate Surgery Urinary Leakage 

Urinary incontinence is typically diagnosed after an examination of the patient’s medical history and recent urination habits, some physical tests and imaging scans. Since this incontinence is a result of prostate surgery, a doctor should be able to diagnose the condition quickly. 

Treating Post Prostate Surgery Urinary Leakage 

Your treatment for post prostate surgery urinary leakage will depend on the length of time the problem persists and the degree of leakage you experience. No matter the severity of your condition, Tampa General Hospital’s urology experts are equipped to find the best solution for you. 

Men with mild to moderate leakage after the surgery are often recommended the following treatment options: 

• Physical therapy 
• Medications 
• Pads or adult diapers 

If the problem persists or the leakage worsens, surgery may become an option. There are two low-risk surgical procedures used to treat this kind of urinary incontinence: 

• Urethral sling 
• Artificial urinary sphincter (AUS)