One-year Outcomes of Female Artificial Urinary Sphincter Implantation in Europe: The VENUS Registry
In brief
Artificial urinary sphincters leave over 80% of women continent at one year
In this prospective registry across 19 European centers, more than 80% of women with severe stress incontinence from sphincter weakness were continent one year after artificial urinary sphincter implantation, defined as using no pad or just one security pad. Short-term device outcomes and complications were described as acceptable and manageable, but longer follow-up and comparisons with other treatments are needed.
- Journal
- European urology focus (Q1)
- Published
- 2 November 2026
- Study design
- Unclassified
- Evidence level
- Level 5, Expert Opinion (CEBM 5)
- Authors
- Benoit Peyronnet, Emmanuel Chartier-Kastler, Luis López-Fando-Lavalle, Marie Aimee Perrouin Verbe, Francois Hervé, Laurent Wagner, et al.
- PMID
- 42971848
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.euf.2026.10.011
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Urology (paper of the day, 5 November 2026): Prospective registry reports female artificial sphincter outcomes
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation is the gold-standard surgical treatment for severe stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in men, but its use in women remains limited because of technical challenges and the absence of prospective data. OBJECTIVE: The VENUS registry aimed to prospectively evaluate perioperative, functional, and 1-yr device outcomes of AMS 800 AUS implantation in women with SUI because of intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD). DESIGN SETTING PARTICIPANTS: VENUS is a European Association of Urology Research Foundation prospective multicenter registry that includes adult women undergoing primary AUS implantation for SUI because of ISD across 19 institutions in seven countries. All surgical approaches were permitted. INTERVENTION: Artificial urinary sphincter implantation. OUTCOME MEASUREMENT STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The primary end point was continence at 1 yr, defined as no pad use or use of one security pad. Secondary outcomes included changes in validated questionnaires (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form [ICIQ-UI-SF], International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life Module, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Female Sexual Matters Associated with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Module, and Patient Global Impression of Improvement), results of the 24-h pad test, 90-d complications (Clavien-Dindo), and 1-yr revision- and explanation-free survival (analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This first prospective multicenter study demonstrates that female AUS implantation provides high 1-yr continence rates (>80%) with acceptable short-term device survival and manageable morbidity. These findings support AUS as an effective option for women with SUI because of ISD. Longer-term and comparative data are needed to further define its position in treatment algorithms and international guidelines.
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.