Urinary Tract, Opens dialog

Surgery Overview

Urethral bulking to treat urinary incontinence involves injecting material (such as collagen) around the urethra (Figure 1). This may be done to build up the thickness of the wall of the urethra so it seals tightly when you hold back urine.

Most bulking materials are injected around the urethra just outside the muscle of the urethra at the bladder outlet. Injecting the bulking material may be done through the urethra or, in women, through the vagina. Needle placement is guided by the use of a cystoscope inserted into the urethra.

Urethral bulking procedures are usually done under local anesthesia or with sedation. But they may require a general or regional anesthesia. Using local anesthesia or sedation allows the person to stand up after an injection to find out if continence has been achieved. If continence has not been restored, another injection may be done.

This treatment may help, but the effect may wear off over time. It is common to need more treatments.

The surgery is used mostly for women and sometimes for men.

Figure 1 - Urinary Tract

The kidneys and bladder work together to make urine and remove it from your body. The kidneys filter waste products and water from the blood to form urine. The urine moves from the kidneys through tubes called ureters to the bladder, which stores the urine until it is full. From the bladder, urine leaves the body through another thin tube, the urethra. After the bladder starts to empty, it normally empties all of the urine.

Current as of: April 30, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.