BALTIMORE, May 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the American Urological Association (AUA), a leading global urology association, and the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU), released a new clinical guideline on the treatment of urinary incontinence after prostate treatment (IPT).

IPT is one of the few urologic conditions that is iatrongenic, and therefore predictable, and often preventable. A condition that tends to cause a high degree of patient distress, IPT has gained visibility over the past several years due to the use of surgery to treat prostate cancer, as well as the proliferation of men's continence products available to the lay public.

The purpose of this guideline is to provide physicians clinical guidance for the evaluation and management of IPT, which covers the treatment of men who experience incontinence after undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP), radiation treatment (RT) and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Evaluation of the patient, risk factors for IPT, which should be discussed with all men prior to treatment, assessment of the patient prior to intervention, and a stepwise approach to management are also covered in this guideline.

"This year, more than 174,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the US and many will undergo treatment." said Jaspreet S. Sandhu, MD, chair of the guideline development panel and urologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. "Although most patients do very well after prostate treatment, some will have persistent IPT. There are multiple treatments available for these men, including physical therapy, medications and surgery, which is why physicians and patients should engage in a shared decision-making process to select the best option for each individual patient."

The new clinical guideline makes 36 recommendations in total. Counseling patients undergoing RP that incontinence is expected in the short-term and generally improves to near baseline by 12 months after surgery, but may persist and require treatment, are among the recommendations. Possible maneuvers to decrease rates of IPT, with a specific focus on men with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), are also explored.

The guideline was developed by a panel with specific expertise in the guideline subject. It was then distributed to peer reviewers of varying backgrounds as part of the AUA's extensive peer review process before being finally approved by the AUA Board of Directors. The full guideline is available online at www.auanet.org/IPT.

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 22,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

SOURCE American Urological Association