Mesh erosions after transobturator suburethral tape: a case series

Abstract

The transobturator tape (TOT) is a widely used minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Despite the reported low rate of intraoperative adverse events after TOT, many cases of delayed vaginal erosion were published and are cause of great concern. We reviewed our experience with the TOT procedure using Uratape® (Mentor-Porges, Le Plessis Robinson, France), a non-woven, non-elastic polypropylene tape. In our series of 102 patients treated with TOT for SUI, we noted three cases of delayed vaginal wall erosion (2.9%). All patients were treated with excision of the eroded portion of the tape. Other reports have shown, in some cases, a considerably higher rate of erosion after TOT using the same mesh. Further investigation is needed to evaluate prospectively the relationship between the type of mesh used for surgery and erosions, and the possible aetiological role of other concomitant factors.