Rectus Fascia Versus Fascia Lata for Autologous Fascial Pubovaginal Sling: A Single-Center Comparison of Perioperative and Functional Outcomes.

Abstract

To compare perioperative and functional outcomes of autologous fascia lata versus rectus fascia pubovaginal sling in female patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The charts of all patients undergoing pubovaginal sling for SUI from 2012 to 2017 at a single center were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those with the sling harvested from the fascia lata (FL group) and those with the sling harvested from the rectus fascia (RF group). Between 2012 and 2017, 105 women underwent pubovaginal slings: 21 using FL and 84 using RF. Operative time did not differ significantly between the FL and RF groups (84 vs 81.9 minutes; P=0.68). Estimated blood loss was lower in the FL group (91.7 vs 141.6 mL; P=0.04). There were more wound complications in the RF group, although this was not statistically significant (0% vs 14.3%; P=0.12). Overall complications were comparable between FL and RF groups (52.4% vs 48.9%; P=0.81), but the proportion of Clavien grade 2 or greater were higher in the RF group (4.8% vs 20.2%; P=0.11). Overall, wound complications accounted for 29.3% of postoperative complications in the RF group (12/41). Functional outcomes were comparable between FL and RF groups, with similar rates of patients without SUI symptoms after 1 month (82.4% vs 76.4%; P=0.74), 1 year (55.6% vs 63.8%; P=0.76), and at the latest follow-up (66.7% vs 65.8%; P=0.87). When compared with rectus fascia for pubovaginal sling, fascia lata may decrease perioperative morbidity, especially wound complications, without compromising functional outcomes.