Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) is when urine leaks out with sudden pressure on the bladder and urethra, causing the sphincter muscles to open briefly.  The pressure (stress) on the bladder may be the result of a physical movement or activity such as exercise, sneezing, laughing, or coughing. 

An alternative cause of SUI is the weakening or weakness of the urethral sphincter; this is known as Intrinsic Sphincter Deficiency (ISD).  When a urethral sphincter is weak, it may be difficult to control the flow of urine out of the body when pressure (stress) on the bladder occurs. This is much more common in women than in men. 

Stress incontinence is different from urgency incontinence and overactive bladder (OAB). If you have urgency incontinence or OAB, your bladder muscle contracts, causing a sudden urge to urinate before you can reach a bathroom. 

One minimally invasive treatment option is the use of a bulking agent placed around the bladder neck that helps the muscles hold back urine. The added bulk allows the bladder neck to close enough to help stop urine from leaking. When you decide to empty your bladder, the opening from the bladder into the urethra expands, allowing urine to pass through. 

For SUI, there are non-surgical treatment options such as bladder training, pelvic floor exercises and dietary modifications or there are operations that are more invasive.

Durasphere® Injectable Bulking Agent provides patients with a low-risk, minimally invasive, and trustworthy solution to SUI, particularly for patients with ISD. The biocompatible beads and water-based gel carrier in Durasphere provide added bulk to tissue around the neck of the bladder, closing the neck, and allowing for greater control over Stress Urinary Incontinence.