Male sling surgery for stress urinary incontinence
Placement of a fixed or adjustable sling to support or reposition the male urethra, usually after prostate treatment.
Interactive 3D Interactive operative model Open the 3D animation Teaching catalogue only. This coverage record is not a patient pathway or operative instruction.
Typical place in practice
Selected mild-to-moderate stress incontinence with acceptable bladder emptying and a suitable urethra after structured assessment.
Alternatives and neighbouring procedures
Conservative treatment, continence devices, peri-urethral balloons in selected settings, or artificial urinary sphincter implantation.
Same procedure family, explicit technique branches
These are variations of this canonical operation. Complication modules below identify whether they apply to all branches or only to named approaches.
Fixed transobturator sling
Repositions and supports the bulbar urethra without postoperative mechanical cycling.
Adjustable sling
Allows tension or compression to be modified after implantation.
Quadratic or bone-anchored sling
Uses an alternative fixation pattern; availability and evidence vary by system.
High-level sequence
Coverage outline only; not a step-by-step technical guide.
- Confirm stress mechanism and rule out significant obstruction
- Expose the bulbar urethra
- Pass and position the selected sling
- Set support or compression while preserving urethral integrity
- Close and monitor voiding, pain and continence
Every failure mode is its own module.
Timing and variation coverage are recorded for each module.
Urethral or bladder injury
Needle or trocar passage and peri-urethral dissection can enter the urinary tract.
Applies to: All variantsUrinary retention or obstructed voiding
Excess outlet resistance or postoperative swelling can prevent effective emptying.
Applies to: All variantsInfection or erosion
An implanted sling can become infected or erode into urethral or adjacent tissues.
Applies to: All variantsPersistent or recurrent incontinence
Inadequate support, unsuitable baseline function or later change can limit durability.
Applies to: All variantsPerineal or groin pain
Dissection, arm passage or tension can cause persistent discomfort.
Applies to: All variantsAdjustment-related complication
Ports, adjustment mechanisms or subsequent manipulation introduce system-specific failure and infection risks.
Applies to: Adjustable slingSources for this module
Male sling, artificial urinary sphincter and post-prostate-treatment continence surgery.
Accessed 2026-08-03 · opens source British Association of Urological Surgeons Patient information leaflets by procedureUK patient-facing procedure, alternatives, recovery and complication framing.
Accessed 2026-08-03 · opens source