Burden of male stress urinary incontinence: A survey among urologists in Japan: Short Communication

Objective: To determine the burden of male stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in Japan and to identify candidates for artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation. Methods: In 2008, a survey form was sent to all 1202 training hospitals certified by the Japanese Urological Association. The survey included questions about the number of patients with moderate to severe SUI who could be candidates for AUS implantation, the etiology, and incidence of SUI in 2007. Results: Overall, 682 (56.7%) responded to the survey. The total number of patients was 1276. The most common reported etiology for SUI was post-radical prostatectomy (59.1%), followed by neurogenic bladder (23.0%), surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia (10.3%), neobladder reconstruction (2.8%), urethral injury (2.4%), and others (2.4%). There were 203 new cases in 2007. Adjusted by the response rate, the prevalence and annual incidence were estimated to be 2235 and 358 cases, respectively. Conclusions: This survey confirms that a significant number of men suffer from moderate to severe SUI, with the majority of cases being post-prostatectomy incontinence. The Japanese urological community needs to provide appropriate treatment for these patients.