UAMS Health Urology Center Named Center of Excellence for Treatment of Severe Male Stress Incontinence
| The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) recently became the first provider in Arkansas to receive a Center of Excellence designation for implantation of the AMS 800, a device that treats severe male stress incontinence caused by prostate cancer treatments.
Brian Langford, M.D., a urologist at the UAMS Health Urology Center at Premier Medical Plaza in Little Rock, was recognized by Boston Scientific for his experience and skill in surgically implanting the AMS 800 Artificial Urinary Sphincter. Langford has implanted dozens of the devices.
“This designation recognizes the achievement of Center of Excellence program requirements, including experience with implanting the AMS 800 Artificial Urinary Sphincter and commitment to continuously educating patients and the community about male urinary incontinence and available treatment options,” reads a plaque that representatives of the device manufacturer presented to Langford this month.
At the same time, Langford used a giant pair of scissors to snip a blue ribbon officially declaring the clinic a Center of Excellence.
Representatives of Boston Scientific said there are several clinics in Arkansas that implant the device, but the UAMS clinic is the first in the state to receive the Center of Excellence designation.
The medical device manufacturer only awards the Center of Excellence designation after a physician has demonstrated mastery of the procedure through volume and outcome.
A close-up of the Center of Excellence proclamation.
According to Boston Scientific, the device has a patient satisfaction rate of up to 90% for treating severe male incontinence.
“It is a prosthetic device that is implantable for patients, most of whom have dealt with incontinence from prostate cancer intervention, whether that’s removal of part or all of the prostate gland to treat prostate cancer,” Langford said. He added that the incontinence can also be caused by surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia or other trauma, but it typically is a result of prostate cancer treatment.
“Sometimes this can be fairly debilitating,” Langford said. “Patients are dependent upon using adult briefs, pads, pull-ups — that type of thing. This is a great alternative for patients who have moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence. It’s an outpatient procedure.”
The device is about the size of a thumb drive. It helps prevent urine leakage and allows patients to hold their urine until their bladder is full, and they feel the urge to urinate. The patient can then squeeze an easily accessible valve, allowing them to empty their bladder, and the valve closes completely on its own.
“For patients who have their prostate cancer treatment and all of a sudden are leaking on themselves constantly, you’re able to give them their quality of life back,” Langford said. “Some patients will still need to use a liner or a safety pad, but I do have some patients who come back and say they’re using underwear the same as they always have, and that they’re perfectly dry.”
To contact the UAMS Health Urology Clinic, call 501-686-6324.
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,553 students and 1,015 medical residents and fellows. It is the state’s largest public employer with about 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.
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