AMS 800. Life?

Anyone have estimated replacement time of AMS 800 artificial urinary sphincter. Had it 1 yr and love being dry and how it works. Best thing which I have had since RPC surgery 11 yrs ago.
This is a ten year old post with a new question and some responses at the bottom. Please check the dates before you reply.

Post Edited By Moderator (PeterDisAbelard.) : 9/6/2022 12:43:07 PM (GMT-7)

After my robotic surgery in Apr 2008 I was almost totally incontinent. Got AMS800 in Jan 2009 almost 4 years now with really no problems encountered. Its as if my plumbing was totally natural...don't even think about it anymore just push the button and within a few seconds I am on my way to whatever I was doing before relieving myself in the bathroom. I have never worried about replacement time for the AMS800. If it should fail I figure it was well worth the effort to install the first one and I would not hesitate to do it again.

More details upon request.

Salty

Well... Salty... I guess I AM a little ahead of you with this good implant.  By the way, everyone interested:  Local implant doctors sponsor local seminars regarding their two implants: The Artificial Urinary Implant and the Inflatable Penile Implant.  I will speak at one of these seminars tonight. (No, I am not an employee of AMS or a doctor who implants them.  I am just a man who received one of each and who is so very grateful for them)

Gene214

Hi Guys,

I have had mine for over two years now and am pleased. I have heard anything from five years to ?? in terms of expected to useful life. Even the docs seem to be uncertain on the life of the ones being used today. I asked my uro about frequency of using/peeing and if it should be shut off at night and she said no....just use it the best it works for you. I do get a little residual leaking and some of us have discussed this on other threads. I am not totally dry but certainly manageable. One damp ladies panty liner per day is acceptable and lets me live a normal life. I can even get a full 18 holes of golf even with the stress put on when swinging. I do try to pee at regular intervals so I don't get more that 200 ml of build up in the bladder.

If mine failed I would also run to get it replaced asap and even tell the doc to "tighten" it a bit more this time. I have also heard that some guys got two cuffs installed.

Merry Christmas to all!

Sorry to hijack this thread, but can I ask if any of you AUS guys had strictures before installation.

I thought I was heading for an AUS but the surgeon said he would need to operate on the stricture first and then wait 12 months before installation. Hate the thought of another 12 month wait.

Chask

4 years, the scale above would not take my input.

NEO

mrfredcb said...
I am have one implanted next month (Oct. 2022). I have a question. Has anyone had one fail ? When it fails is the clamp open or closed ?

you've revived an ancient post

Hello Mr Fred CB,
First thing: Welcome to the forum. We're glad you found us.
Second thing: The way the AMS 800 is designed the most likely failure mode is for the cuff to fail open. The cuff around the urethra is closed by saline water inflating it using pressure from the stretchy balloon reservoir that is implanted in your abdomen. When you want to pee you operate a squeezy-bulb pump (in your scrotum) that pumps the water out of the cuff making it deflate. The pump is designed to have a slow-leak bypass that lets the water flow slowly back into the cuff after a few seconds so it closes again. The most common failure mode is that something comes loose or leaks. When this happens the reservoir balloon deflates and there is nothing to pressurize the system and the cuff deflates (and opens). There are some theoretical failure modes where the pump won't pump and there is no way to open the cuff but that is rare if it happens at all.
Third thing: While it is fine to post a new question on an old thread it doesn't work very well to get answers from other members. Members will see the question posted by the original poster and will either A) not notice the date and answer the ten-year-old question (never seeing yours), or B) wonder why they are looking at such and old thread and click away to something else. There are only a few of us who will scroll all the way to the bottom to see the new comment.

Finally had my AMS800 activated on Dec. 15th. So far it is a great Christmas present. After being wet for 2+ years it is great being dry. I don't have to plan my trips around finding a public restroom. I get a good night sleep, not having to get up every hour and a half. No leaking. My doctor said there is a 20% chance that I could develop a leak. At that point he could go in and replace the cuff with a smaller one. Hope not. Another bright spot is my cancer is in remission after 1 1/2 years. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you.
Fred