Experience with Tension‐free Vaginal Tape (TVT)‐SECUR for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence

Objectives: Tension‐free vaginal tape (TVT)‐SECUR is a technique specifically designed to place a short suburethral mesh sling for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The aim of the technique is to decrease surgical morbidity. We report our experience of applying this technique on 10 patients. Methods: From June 2007 to July 2007, 10 female patients with SUI underwent TVT‐SECUR placement operation. The sling was inserted in a suprapubic direction over the inner surface of pubic bone (U‐shaped technique). Nine of the patients underwent videourodynamic study (VUDS). The maximal bladder neck decent distance (MBND) by abdominal straining was determined. We identified intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD) as a valsalva leak point pressure lower than 60 cm H₂O and hypermobility as MBND more than 2 cm. Results: Two patients had pure ISD, three had hypermobility, and four had both ISD and hypermobility. All patients remained continent for first month after surgery. SUI recurred in five of nine patients at an average of 2.5 months. The recurrence appeared in all three groups of patients. The recurrent SUI was so severe that three patients required repeat surgery using percutaneous prolene tape sling. After surgery, no further SUI was noted in the three patients. During surgery the TVT‐SECUR sling was found to have firmly adhered to perivesical tissue rather than to the pubic bone. Conclusion: Our experience shows that the current design of the TVT‐SECUR results in unpredictable outcomes. Some placed slings may migrate away from the inner surface of the pubic bone. To act as a reliable “hammock”, the sling must be securely fixed on immobile structures independent from the bladder/urethra.     

Risk Factors for De Novo Mixed Urinary Incontinence and Stress Urinary Incontinence Following Surgical Removal of a Urethral Diverticulum

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the risk factors for the development of de novo stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) after surgical removal of a urethral diverticulum (UD). Methods: We identified 35 consecutive women that underwent surgical removal of a UD between November 2002 and December 2009, and we retrospectively reviewed their medical records, including patient demographics, pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), presenting symptoms related to voiding, and outcomes. Results: Among the 35 patients we identified, 28 were included in the study. After UD removal, five of the 28 patients (17.8%) developed de novo MUI, and four of the 28 patients (14.2%) developed de novo SUI. The incidences of SUI and MUI were significantly higher in patients who had a UD that measured over 3 cm in diameter and in patients in whom the UD was located in the proximal urethra. Of the seven patients with a diverticulum over 3 cm, SUI occurred in three (42.8%) (P = 0.038) and MUI occurred in five (45.4%) (P < 0.001). Of the 11 patients with a diverticulum located in the proximal urethra, SUI occurred in five (45.4%) (P = 0.011) and MUI occurred in four (36.4%) (P = 0.011). Conclusion: Significant risk factors for the development of SUI and MUI after transvaginal simple diverticulectomy include a UD measuring over 3 cm and a UD located in the proximal urethra.     

The autologous pubovaginal fascial sling: An update in 2019

The contemporary management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) has seen renewed interest in the use of autologous fascia for the formation of a retropubic suburethral sling. Traditionally, it has been used in only the most severe of incontinence cases, such as those women with intrinsic sphincter deficiency, or in patients requiring concomitant reconstructive procedures. In the current climate surrounding transvaginal mesh, many doctors and patients are shying away from the less morbid synthetic midurethral sling. International literature has demonstrated that the fascial sling is a safe and efficacious procedure for all patients with SUI, adequately treating both urethral hypermobility and intrinsic sphincter deficiency. This paper will discuss the indications, technique, and outcomes of autologous fascial slings. We will explore the use of fascial slings following failed synthetic slings and also the troubleshooting of commonly encountered issues intra‐ and postoperatively.     

Urethral erosion following autologous rectus fascial pubovaginal sling

Urethral erosion following pubovaginal sling is a rare occurrence. When synthetic sling materials are used urethral erosion often necessitates removal of the sling and urethral reconstruction. The literature is sparse with respect to the best approach to fascial sling erosion. We report a case of a 73 year-old woman who underwent a pubovaginal sling using autologous rectus fascia for treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). She developed urethral erosion following 2 weeks of clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Visual internal urethrotomy (VIU) was performed to incise the sling and the prolene sutures were removed to eliminate any tension. The patient subsequently voided spontaneously and had resolution of her SUI. This case demonstrates that urethral erosion may occur even when fascial slings are used. Unlike synthetic slings, when autologous fascia is used, the tissue may be left in-situ. A minimally invasive approach may achieve an excellent result without the need for complex surgical repair.     

Value of Maximum Urethral Closure Pressure in Predicting the Outcome of Tension‐Free Vaginal Tape and Transobturator Tape Procedure

Objectives: The short‐term results for the tension‐free vaginal tape procedure (TVT) and the transobturator tape procedure (TOT) for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were compared using the preoperative maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP). Methods: A total of 278 patients treated for SUI was considered: 165 who underwent TVT and 113 who underwent TOT retrospectively. The MUCP in a preoperative urodynamic study before and 3 months after surgery were evaluated. Results: At 3 months after TVT, 159 patients (96.4%) were cured and four patients failed. The mean MUCP of the patients who failed was 22.5 ± 5.3 cmH₂O, which was significantly lower than that among the cured patients (P < 0.007). At 3 months after TOT, 100 patients (88.5%) were cured and seven patients failed. The mean MUCP of the patients who failed was 27 ± 6.3 cmH₂O, which was significantly lower than that among the cured patients (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the mean MUCP among the patients who were cured after TOT was significantly higher than that among the patients who were cured after TVT (P < 0.01). A further analysis using a ROC curve indicated that the MUCP value in the successful patients after TVT was ≧ 24 cmH₂O and that in the failures after TOT was ≦ 30 cmH₂O with selection sensitivity at 80%. Conclusion: These results suggest that the failure cases after TVT or TOT are often found in SUI with a low MUCP and that TVT might be superior to TOT in SUI with a MUCP ≦ 30 cmH₂O.     

Efficacy of Synthetic Suburethral Slings in Female Urinary Stress Incontinence with Overactive Bladder

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of synthetic suburethral slings in female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) patients with overactive bladder (OAB). Methods: From May 2002 to April 2005, a total of 295 women with SUI underwent suburethral sling procedure. Of the 295 women, only those who were followed up for at least 12 months were included in the study, yielding 236 patients. The patients were divided into three groups: pure SUI; SUI with OAB dry; and SUI with OAB wet. Telephone questionnaires by were used to evaluate the postoperative improvement of SUI and storage symptoms. Results: There were significant differences in preoperative symptom score, quality of life (QoL) score, and preoperative voided volume among the three groups. There were no significant differences among the three groups in terms of the cure rate for the stress component (group 1, 88.6%; group 2, 86.2%; group 3, 86.7%; P = 0.943). Eighty percent of group 1 patients improved in frequency, but two patients (2.3%) complained of de novo urgency. In group 2, 81.5 and 82.7% improved in frequency and urgency, respectively, but one patient (1.7%) complained of de novo urge incontinence. In group 3, 76.9 and 84.4% improved in frequency and urge incontinence, respectively. Conclusion: Suburethral slings are simple, safe and highly effective in treating SUI with OAB.     

Use of Injectable Urethral Bulking Agents in the Management of Stress Urinary Incontinence

The use of injectable bulking agents is a well-established approach to management of patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). No single bulking agent to date has been shown to be superior or consistently durable in the literature. Novel therapeutic strategies, including the use of injectable, muscle-derived stem cell therapy, have shown promising results in investigational stages. Urethral bulking agent therapy can be helpful in the early management of men with SUI following radical prostatectomy, and in women with SUI due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency, urethral hypermobility, or in the setting of failed midurethral sling placement. Despite their widespread use historically, biocompatible agents have been supplanted in recent years by synthetic agents secondary to their potentially improved durability and nonimmunogenic profiles.     

Treatment of severe post-prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence using AdVance sling

Severe stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is usually treated by the implant of artificial sphincter positioned around bulbar urethra. AdVance sling is a functional, non-obstructive, anti-incontinence device that showed good results especially for mild and moderate SUI. We present our experience with AdVance sling in 7 patients with severe SUI unfit for artificial sphincter. Our results, after a follow-up of more than 6 months, showed a continence rate of 28% and an improvement rate of 43%, while 2 patients did not show any benefit. The success of AdVance sling depends on the integrity of urethral sphincter and can be applied also in selected cases for the treatment of severe post-prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence.     

Evaluation and Treatment of Persistent Stress Urinary Incontinence after Male Anti-Incontinence Procedure – AUS or Sling

The two most common anti-incontinence procedures performed for postprostatectomy incontinence (PPI) are placements of the artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) and male sling. While both procedures offer high success rates, 10-30 % of patients after AUS and 20-45 % of patients after male sling require evaluation for persistent PPI. The goals of evaluation for persistent PPI should be to verify the diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and to assess for concurrent bladder dysfunction. If the initial procedure was an AUS, and recurrent intrinsic sphincter deficiency is diagnosed, it is vital to distinguish among mechanical failure, urethral atrophy and erosion. If a repeat sling is considered, it is necessary to verify the degree of intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD) and assess for persistent or recurrent proximal urethral mobility. Because of diminished urethral compliance that results from prior AUS or male sling surgery, implantation of an AUS remains the treatment of choice for persistent SUI, as it is the most reliable method of providing the circumferential urethral compression necessary for adequate coaptation even in the setting of urethral fibrosis.     

The Bladder Neck Sling: What Role Remains?

A decade ago, bladder neck slings were recognized as the gold standard technique for a majority of patients. Today, tension-free vaginal tape is widely accepted as the standard approach for index surgery in female stress urinary incontinence. Recently published articles have demonstrated a decrease in the use of bladder neck slings and a significant increase in the use of mid urethral synthetic slings. Currently, bladder neck sling procedures appear to confer a cure rate similar to open retropubic colposuspension and mid urethral sling procedures, but the long-term adverse event profiles are still unclear. Although, bladder neck slings remain in the armamentarium of pelvic surgeons, they are reserved mainly for pediatric patients and for complex patients at high risk for urethral damage, with recurrent urinary incontinence and with low-pressure urethras, as well as for the patients who may refuse having synthetic slings. This article reviews the role of bladder neck slings in the era of the midurethral slings.     

Biomaterials in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence: An update

Pelvic reconstructive surgeons use biomaterials in many surgical techniques for various indications. Synthetic meshes and biologic grafts have been incorporated in the surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. These materials are also used to correct stress urinary incontinence in men and women. In women, suburethral slings are placed via a number of techniques (retropubic, transobturator) to provide support and facilitate urethral coaptation. In men, support is achieved through mechanical compression and membranous urethra elongation. Recent innovations include a transobturator sling for male stress urinary incontinence, suburethral mini slings for female stress incontinence, and transvaginal mesh to treat pelvic organ prolapse. However, available data on newer techniques are short-term and lack prospective studies and case reports are beginning to emerge describing rare, though serious, complications unique to these newer techniques.     

Evaluation and Management of Urinary Retention and Voiding Dysfunction After Sling Surgery for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence

Female urethral sling surgery is the most common procedure performed to treat stress urinary incontinence with cure rates in excess of 85?%. In a small minority of patients however, postoperative voiding dysfunction develops, in the form of: urinary retention; high post-void residual; poor urinary flow; urinary frequency; urinary urgency; urinary urge incontinence; or pelvic pain. This article reviews the occurrence of voiding dysfunction after sling surgery and outlines the current evaluation and management of patients with these complaints.     

无张力阴道尿道悬吊术治疗老年女性尿失禁六例临床分析

目的 探讨无张力阴道尿道中段悬吊术(TVT)治疗老年女性尿失禁的临床意义和疗效。方法 采用SPRAC吊带系统对6例单纯性压力性尿失禁老年女性进行TVT治疗，分析其疗效及并发症。结果 6例TVT手术均在硬膜外麻醉下完成，平均手术时间31．6min，术中平均出血36．2ml，5例手术后24h内自行排尿，1例合并肥胖和阴道前壁膨出患者留置尿管1周后自行排尿。术后随访10～28个月，5例尿失禁治愈，1例手术后3个月再次发生尿失禁，2例术后伴不同程度的尿频、尿急，1例自觉耻骨后轻度不适。结论 TVT易操作、创伤小、疗效好，对绝经后老年女性合并肥胖和阴道前壁膨出的压力性尿失禁患者治疗有明显疗效。     

Secondary Transobturator Tape Procedure after Combined Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair

A 66‐year‐old female who underwent a partial urethrectomy complained of severe incontinence due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency. Bone anchor surgical technique was performed, but in 3 years, serious pelvic organ prolapse had occurred. Consequently, anterior and posterior tension‐free vaginal mesh operation was planned. Preoperative urodynamic examination predicted postoperative stress incontinence, and concurrent transobturator tape (TOT) surgery was performed. After 3 months, stress incontinence reoccurred, and secondary TOT was performed. Relapse was probably caused by dislocation of the first TOT towards the bladder neck. Thus, the secondary TOT was placed distal to the initial tape towards the external urethral meatus, and proper tension was applied. After the operation, stress incontinence was cured. Thus, a second TOT procedure, with proper positioning and tensioning, can effectively cure stress incontinence that occurs after an initial TOT procedure.     

TVT and TOT: a comparison between these two techniques based on our clinical experience

AIM OF THE STUDY: A retrospective evaluation and a comparison of results from two minimally invasive surgery techniques that we adopted for the treatment of SUI. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In this study we evaluated 113 selected patients who underwent SUI minimally invasive surgery from 1-1-2000 to 31-12-2007. 87 patients underwent epidural anesthesia. 26 local anesthesia. In Group A (TVT) 61 patients were enrolled, mean age 57.6 (±22). 43 patients (70%) were on menopause. In Group B (TOT out-in) 52 patients were enrolled (for 34 of them we used the Obtape? sling while for 18 the Obtryx? one), their mean age was 58.5 (±20.5) and 39 patients (75%) were on menopause. Patients from both groups did not undergo any past previous urogynecological surgery and suffered from stress urinary incontinence with cervico-urethral hypermobility butno other associated pathology. The pre-operative work-up included an evaluation of patients based on ICS guidelines. RESULTS. Group A (TVT) - mean follow-up 66.3 months, dry patients 53/61 (86.8%). Bladder perforations resolved by catheterization 3/61 (5%). Transient voiding dysfunction 14/61 (22.8%). "De novo" urgency 8/61 (13%). One patient on self-catheterization due to persistent urinary retention underwent a single-side section of the sling with spontaneous micturition and complete continence recovery. Group B (TOT out-in) - mean follow-up 35.5 months, dry patients 43/52 (82%). 4 patients (7.6%) complained oftransient voiding dysfunction, 5 patients (9.5%) for "de novo" urgency, 1 patient underwent a sling removal due to vaginal erosion 4 months after surgery (Obtape?).     

Incidence and obstetric risk factors of postpartum anal incontinence

BACKGROUND: Anal incontinence in young women may be the result of injury to the pelvic floor during vaginal delivery. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between obstetric risk factors and the prevalence of anal incontinence 3 months and 1 year after delivery. METHODS: Three hundred consecutive women who delivered in the obstetric ward of the Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, were prospectively interviewed 3 months postpartum with regard to the symptom of anal incontinence. Patients with anal incontinence that started after delivery were questioned about the type, frequency, and severity of the problem, concomitant stress urinary incontinence (SUI), previous colorectal assessment, and wish for further evaluation and treatment. Obstetric data were collected from the women's medical charts. Symptomatic patients were followed-up 1 year postpartum. RESULTS: Anal incontinence was reported by 21 patients: 19 were incontinent to gas, whereas only 2 patients were incontinent to solid feces (6.3% and 0.7% of the study population, respectively). Five patients (24% of the anal-incontinent patients) also had concomitant SUI. The length of the first and second stages of labor, operative vaginal delivery, and episiotomy were found to be associated (P < 0.05) with the development of anal incontinence at 3 months postpartum. At I year postpartum all patients with combined anal incontinence and SUI had persistent symptoms. CONCLUSION: The major obstetric risk factors for postpartum anal incontinence are prolonged first and second stages of labor, operative vaginal delivery, and the use of episiotomy.     

Different sling procedures for stress urinary incontinence: A lesson from 453 patients

Several midurethral sling (MUS) procedures, such as tension-free vaginal tape (TVT), TVT obturator (TVT-O), tension-free vaginal tape SECUR (TVT-S), and pubovaginal sling (PVS), have been used for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI); however, which method is best for a particular patient group is not known. This study aimed to identify the best rationale for choosing the optimal MUS procedure for each patient. In total, 453 consecutive female patients with SUI who were treated with MUSs in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from September 2003 to September 2011 were enrolled in this study. All the patients underwent comprehensive pre-, intra-, and postoperative evaluations, including collection of demographic information, pelvic examination, and urodynamic testing, and operation-related complications were recorded. The Incontinence Quality of Life questionnaire was also completed. Under local or general anesthesia, 105 cases were treated with TVT, 243 with TVT-O, 90 with TVT-S, and 15 with PVS. Patients with different profiles in terms of age, symptom duration, concomitant procedures, urodynamic parameters, and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) quantification score were treated successfully; the body mass index did not differ significantly among the various treatment options. The cure and improvement rates were similar among the treatment groups: 97.14% (102/105) in TVT, 100% (243/243) in TVT-O, 98.89% (89/90) in TVT-S, and 100% (15/15) in PVS. Only minor complications were experienced by the patients. In conclusion, each MUS procedure was observed to be safe and effective in different subpopulations of patients, and the results suggest that appropriate patient selection is crucial for the success of each MUS procedure.     

Abdominal rectopexy for complete rectal prolapse: preliminary results of a new technique

Purpose Although the technique for the surgical repair of rectal prolapse has advanced over the years, no ideal procedure has been found. We aim to test a new surgical procedure for abdominal rectopexy that uses the greater omentum to support the rectum below the rectopexy, to reconstruct the anorectal angle and dispense with the need for synthetic mesh, thus reducing the risk of infection.Methods A series of ten patients, all young and medically fit, underwent repair surgery for rectal prolapse with the new rectopexy technique. Some patients had concomitant sigmoidectomy. Preoperative and postoperative assessment included a clinical examination, anal manometry and defecography.Results Follow-up lasted a mean of 56.4 months. None of the patients had recurrent rectal prolapse or infection. Postoperative assessment at 24 months disclosed significant improvements in all the bowel and sphincter variables assessed. The 8 patients who had severe incontinence preoperatively had notably improved and 4 were fully continent, 3 moderately incontinent, and only 1 patient had persistently high levels of incontinence. In only 1 patient who initially had severe incontinence, continence completely regressed and severe constipation developed. Maximal basal pressure values increased significantly after surgery (p=0.0025), although they increased slightly less evidently in patients in whom marked incontinence persisted at postoperative follow-up. Maximal voluntary contraction pressure also increased significantly after surgery (p=0.0054), although the values changed less than those for basal pressure. During rest, squeeze and straining, and in all the patients who regained continence, even those who recovered it only partly, surgery substantially reduced the anorectal angle. The reduction during rest was statistically significant (p=0.0062).Conclusions The rectopexy technique we tested in patients with rectal prolapse avoids the need for synthetic mesh, and provides good results in terms of bowel and sphincter function, without infection or recurrence.     

Detrusor Underactivity in Men Following Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy - Prevalence, Importance and Evaluation

Stress Urinary Incontinence is a common morbidity after radical prostatectomy. It is estimated that up to 6 % of men who undergo radical prostatectomy will subsequently have a procedure for correction of stress urinary incontinence. Over the past two decades, the interest in treating male stress incontinence with sling procedures has increased. The success of sling surgery is predicated on ventral urethral compression to maintain continence while continuing to allow spontaneous voiding. In some men however, the increased urethral resistance provided by the sling can precipitate urinary retention, specifically those with detrusor underactivity. This paper will review: a) the difficulty in defining detrusor underactivity in men after radical prostatectomy; b) the incidence of urodynamic detrusor underactivity after radical prostatectomy; and c) the potential importance of this finding in men seeking treatment for post radical prostatectomy incontinence.     

Effect of Urethral Dilatation on Women With Voiding Dysfunction

Despite a lack of evidence for its efficacy in the literature, urethral dilatation (UD) has been used by urologists and urogynecologists for many years to treat a variety of lower urinary tract symptoms in women. Recent surveys of clinical practice suggest that a significant proportion of clinicians continue to perform UD, with it being more commonly used by those trained more than 10 years ago. Recent outcome data on UD in women with overactive bladder and voiding dysfunction have shown poor long-term efficacy, with a 13% risk of de novo urodynamic stress incontinence. Resolution of symptoms is associated with a postprocedure increase in maximum flow rate and a decrease in detrusor pressure at maximum flow. Further studies are needed to delineate the role, if any, of UD in the management of women with overactive bladder and voiding dysfunction.