Midurethral Sling Research Articles

Continence Is Not Affected after Sling Revision with Transvaginal Tape Elongation for Post-Sling Voiding Dysfunction.

Voiding dysfunction (VD) after sling operation is not uncommon. Sling revisions by incision/excision are usually effective; however, they may result in recurrent stress urinary incontinence (SUI). We aimed to evaluate continence status after an innovative sling revision procedure that preserves the integrity of the sling. Patients who underwent either a single-incision (AJUST) or a trans-obturator (TVT-O) mid-urethral sling were studied. Transvaginal tape elongation (i.e., sling midline incision and mesh interposition) was performed on patients with post-sling VD. Factors that may affect recurrent SUI were investigated by statistical analyses. Of 119 patients, 90 (75.6%) (45 AJUST and 45 TVT-O) were available for long-term (median 9; 8-10 years) follow-up. A significantly higher rate (17.2% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.014) of VD was noted after AJUST (N = 10) than after TVT-O (N = 2). After sling revision, four (33%) of the 12 cases reported recurrent SUI, which was not significantly different (p = 1.000) from the rate (37%, 29/78) of patients who did not undergo sling revision. Further statistical analyses revealed no significant predisposing factors affecting the recurrence of SUI. Surgical continence did not seem to be affected by having had sling revision with transvaginal tape elongation for post-sling VD.

Midurethral sling position and surgical outcome: A meta-analysis.

There is still ongoing debate as to whether the outcome of the sling is determined by the position of the midurethral sling. In order to evaluate the potential impact of sling position on the outcomes of retropubic and transobturator sling procedures for stress urinary incontinence, it is necessary to conduct further investigations. We conducted a comprehensive search across various electronic databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE. Relevant data were extracted, organized in a table format, and analyzed using RevMan software for further analysis. This review comprised a total of 9 studies. The findings indicate that patients with TVT tape placement in the midurethra exhibited a slightly higher cure rate compared to those with proximal placement. Conversely, tape placement in the midurethra was associated with a significantly higher cure rate compared to distal placement [RR = 0.84, 95% CI (0.74-0.95), P < .05]. In the case of transobturator slings, tape positioning beneath the midurethra or distal urethra yielded better outcomes compared to placement near the bladder neck [RR = 0.74, 95% CI (0.57-0.94), P = .02; RR = 0.61, 95% CI (0.39-0.96), P = .03]. Based on 2D and 3D ultrasound imaging, differences in TVT placement appear to have minimal impact on the cure rate. However, the highest rate of failure after transobturator sling surgery is closely linked to the positioning.

Persistent and De Novo Stress Urinary Incontinence After Minimally Invasive Sacrocolpopexy.

Data on stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy (SCP) with or without midurethral sling placement are limited. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of SUI after minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy. This was a secondary analysis of 2 randomized clinical trials of participants undergoing SCP. Participants completed symptom assessment and urodynamic testing. Participants underwent SCP with or without midurethral sling placement. Preoperatively, participants were defined as having symptomatic SUI, occult SUI, or no SUI. Participants completed the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 at 6 and 12 months postoperatively and were categorized as having persistent SUI in the setting of symptomatic or occult SUI or de novo SUI. Eighty-one participants were included. Sixty-one participants met inclusion criteria for the persistent SUI analysis: 42 participants with symptomatic SUI and 19 participants with occult SUI. There were 20 participants in the de novo SUI group. The overall incidence of persistent SUI was 26.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15.8%-39.1%) with 33.3% (95% CI, 19.6%-49.6%) of symptomatic and 10.5% (95% CI, 1.5%-33.1%) of occult participants. Bothersome symptoms were defined as "moderately" or "quite a bit" bothered postoperatively. Of participants with symptomatic SUI, 14.3% participants were bothered and no participants underwent retreatment. No patient with occult SUI was bothered; however, 1 patient underwent retreatment. The incidence of de novo SUI was 45% (95% CI, 23.1%-68.5%). No patient in the de novo SUI group was bothered or underwent SUI treatment. Approximately 1 in 4 participants reported persistent SUI. Almost 50% reported de novo SUI. However, few participants were bothered or underwent treatment.

Urethral Bulking With Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Compared With Other Treatments for Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

Our objective was to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing polyacrylamide hydrogel urethral bulking with other surgical and nonsurgical treatments for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). We created a cost-effectiveness analysis using TreeAge Pro, modeling eight SUI treatments. Treatment with midurethral sling (MUS) had the highest effectiveness (1.86 quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs]), followed by polyacrylamide hydrogel (1.82 QALYs), with a difference (Δ 0.02/year) less than the minimally important difference for utilities of 0.03 annually. When the proportion of polyacrylamide hydrogel urethral bulking procedures performed in the office setting is greater than 58%, polyacrylamide hydrogel is a cost-effective treatment for SUI, along with pessary, pelvic floor physical therapy, and MUS. Although MUS is more effective and, therefore, the preferred SUI treatment, polyacrylamide hydrogel is a reasonable alternative depending on patient preferences and treatment goals.

Impact of Preoperative Urinary Tract Infection Screening in Asymptomatic Women Undergoing Midurethral Sling.

There is limited information regarding the utility of preoperative urine culture (Ucx) screening to decrease postoperative UTI rates following midurethral sling (MUS). The primary objective of this study was to determine if the rate of postoperative UTI within the first 6 weeks after surgery is lower in women undergoing MUS when preoperative Ucx is obtained compared to when it is not. Secondary objectives were to determine clinical factors associated with postoperative UTI risk. This is a retrospective cohort study of women who did not have symptoms of or a diagnosis of cystitis at the time of their preoperative evaluation and are undergoing MUS. Patients were grouped into those who had preoperative Ucx screening within 6 weeks preceding surgery and those who did not. UTI rates 6 weeks following surgery were compared between groups. Additionally, factors impacting the risk of developing a UTI within 6 weeks of surgery were assessed. Among 661 patients, 13.2% had a UTI within the first 6 weeks. There was no significant difference in UTI rates between those who did and did not have preoperative Ucx, respectively (14.9% vs 10.2%, p = 0.09). On multivariable analysis, current smoker status (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.10-8.26), history of recurrent UTI (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.14-7.86), and requiring postoperative SIC (OR 8.75, 95% CI 1.83-41.74) were independently associated with a UTI within 6 weeks of MUS. Obtaining preoperative Ucx in asymptomatic women prior to MUS does not appear to be associated with lower postoperative UTIs rates within 6 weeks of surgery.

Efficacy of botulinum toxin in the management of refractory de novo overactive bladder symptoms in women after midurethral sling placement: retrospective, single center study.

This study aimed o evaluate the efficacy of onabotulinumtoxin A (onaBTX-A) intradetrusor injections in women with refractory de novo overactive bladder (OAB) following midurethral sling (MUS) placement. A retrospective single-center study was conducted. We screened 372 women who underwent MUS surgery between August 2009 and January 2022. 54/372 women diagnosed with pharmacologically refractory de novo OAB following MUS were evaluated using cystoscopy and urodynamics, and after tape erosion and obstructive voiding were excluded, they received onaBTX-A therapy. Outcomes were the reduction of self-reported OAB symptoms and leakage episodes, improvement of validated OAB scores and adverse events of the procedure after a follow-up of 3, 6, and 12 months. Successful results were reported in 81%, 68%, and 43% at 3, 6 and 12 months respectively. Postoperatively, median voiding frequency and median nocturia episodes were significantly improved in 70% and 77% of women, respectively, with a decrease in daily number of voids (-4.1, p = 0.0001) and nocturia episodes (-2.2, p = 0.005). At 3 months, 80% of women reported an >25% reduction in urgency severity and episodes following injection. The median number of pads used was significantly reduced after injection (-2 pads; p = 0.03). Repeat injections of onaBTX-A were performed in 61% of patients after a median of 11 months. Intravesical onaBTX-A injections are clinically effective at 3- and 6-month follow-up for the treatment of refractory de novo OAB after MUS placement. Over 60% of the patients opted for retreatment with onaBTX-A due to a high level of satisfaction.

Increased Rate of Mesh Erosion in Breast Cancer Survivors Taking Antiestrogen Therapy.

There are no current data investigating the relationship between mesh-exposure complications after midurethral sling surgery and antiestrogen therapy. We sought to determine if there are increased mesh-exposure complications between a breast cancer population versus a noncancer population particularly in conjunction with hormone suppression (HS) therapy. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients with a history of breast cancer undergoing tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) surgery at our institution between 2013 and 2021. A group of patients who underwent TVT surgery without a history of cancer served as our control. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of mesh exposure complications. One hundred twenty-one patients with breast cancer had TVT surgery. Two hundred ninety-seven patients without cancer had TVT surgery during the same period. Baseline characteristics across all groups were similar. Twenty-nine patients (6.9%) experienced mesh exposure. This occurred at a higher rate in our cancer (15.7%) versus the noncancer population (3.4%). Women with breast cancer taking HS therapy had a higher rate of mesh exposure complications compared with those not taking HS therapy (25.0% versus 6.6%; P = 0.005). The highest rate of mesh exposure complications occurred in the cohort taking estrogen receptor modulators, selective estrogen receptor modulator (10/36 [27.8%]) versus aromatase inhibitors (5/24 [20.8%]) versus no HS therapy (4/61 [6.6%]; P = 0.014). On multivariate analysis, HS therapy use (odds ratio, 1.57; P = 0.007) and diabetes mellitus (odds ratio, 4.53; P = 0.018) were associated with increased TVT-related complications. Women with breast cancer had a higher rate of mesh exposure complications from TVT surgery compared with women without cancer, particularly those taking antiestrogenic therapy.

Ultra Long-term Follow-up of the Autologous Pubovaginal Sling for Stress Incontinence: Results at 23 Years

To examine the efficacy, safety, and long-term durability of the autologous pubovaginal sling for stress incontinence over a 29-year period. A total of 192 consecutive female patients with stress urinary incontinence who underwent autologous pubovaginal sling from 1993 through 1999 were analyzed over a 29-year period. Intermediate and ultra long-term follow-up were obtained at a mean of 4 and 23years, respectively. A total of 51 patients had sufficient data at both time intervals and were evaluated using a standardized questionnaire for resolution of stress incontinence, the primary endpoint, as well as resolution of urge incontinence, overall dryness, and voiding dysfunction. At intermediate-term follow-up (mean 45.3months), 96% of 51 patients reported no stress incontinence. In addition, 76% of patients experienced resolution of their preoperative urge incontinence. Overall dryness occurred in 84%. At ultra long-term follow-up (mean 22.9years), 84% reported no stress incontinence and an overall dryness rate of 53%. Postoperative voiding dysfunction included de novo urge incontinence (3 patients) and persistent urinary obstruction requiring urethrolysis (1 patient). The autologous pubovaginal sling is effective, safe, and durable at a mean of 23years, the longest known follow-up in the literature. Given the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings regarding transvaginal mesh and growing concerns with the synthetic midurethral sling, the autologous pubovaginal sling should be offered as an option to those women seeking treatment for stress urinary incontinence.

External validation of the de novo stress urinary incontinence prediction model after pelvic organ prolapse surgery in Korean women: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundDe novo stress urinary incontinence (SUI) may develop following pelvic organ prolapse surgery. Performing prophylactic continence surgery may reduce the risk of de novo SUI and subsequent continence surgery; however, it may increase the risk of complications. Therefore, many surgeons try to identify women at high risk for de novo SUI and perform continence surgery selectively. Recently, a model for predicting the risk of de novo SUI after prolapse surgery was developed using data from the Outcomes following vaginal Prolapse repair and midUrethral Sling (OPUS) trial; its prediction accuracy was significantly better than that of the stress test alone. However, few studies have verified its prediction accuracy in discrete populations. The aim of this study was to externally validate the prediction model for de novo SUI after prolapse surgery in Korean women.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included 320 stress-continent women who underwent prolapse surgery for pelvic organ prolapse quantification stage 2–4 anterior or apical prolapse and who completed a 1-year follow-up. Predicted probabilities by the de novo SUI online risk calculator were compared with observed outcomes and quantitated using the model’s area under the curve and calibration plot. Subgroup analyses were also performed by the type of prolapse surgery.ResultsThe de novo SUI prediction model showed moderate discrimination in our study cohort; area under the curve (95% confidence interval) = 0.73 (0.67–0.78) in the whole cohort, 0.69 (0.61–0.78) in women who underwent native tissue repair or colpocleisis, and 0.74 (0.65–0.82) in those who underwent sacrocolpopexy. Calibration curves demonstrated that the model accurately predicted the observed outcomes of de novo SUI in women who underwent native tissue repair or colpocleisis but underestimated outcomes in those who underwent sacrocolpopexy. The predicted probability cutoff points corresponding to an actual risk of 50% were 40% in women who underwent native tissue repair or colpocleisis and 30% in those who underwent sacrocolpopexy.ConclusionsThe de novo SUI prediction model is acceptable for use in Korean women and may aid in shared decision-making regarding prophylactic continence procedure at the time of prolapse surgery.

Risk factors for 5-year complications after midurethral sling surgery for stress urinary incontinence: a retrospective cohort study from Taiwan

Midurethral sling surgery is the current gold standard worldwide for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery, with over 90% of surgeons worldwide using the midurethral sling for SUI between 2008 and 2018. However, concerns surround mesh-related adverse events associated with the midurethral sling. The decision to use the midurethral sling for surgical treatment has become a challenging one for clinicians, surgeons and patients. We sought to determine the factors for 5-year complications after midurethral sling surgery, to improve the clinical decision-making process. Records were reviewed from a total of 1961 female patients who underwent their first midurethral sling surgery for SUI between 2003 and 2018 at a single teaching hospital in Taiwan. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model calculated the hazard ratios of risk factors for surgical complications, after adjusting for confounders. Surgical complications (i.e., secondary surgery and urinary retention) occurred in 93 (4.7%) patients within 5 years following the index operations. These patients were more likely to be older, to have a history of menopausal syndrome within 1 year prior to the index operation, a medication history of oral antidiabetic drug use, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), slower average flow rate, and longer voiding time compared with patients without surgical complications. In the multivariate analysis, HRT (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.787; 95% confidence interval, 1.011–3.158, p = 0.04) was significantly associated with surgical complications at 5 years, after adjusting for age, gender, diabetes, menopause syndrome, average flow rate, and sling type. Our findings suggest that a medication history of HRT may be a risk factor associated with surgical complications, especially urinary retention, at 5 years in women undergoing midurethral sling surgery for SUI.

The use of midurethral sling in the correction of low-stage cystoceles: a prospective randomized trial

Introduction and hypothesisThe objective was to assess whether midurethral slings (MUS) can improve both stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and cystoceles. MUS with anterior colporrhaphy (AC) as a treatment for SUI with cystocele is more invasive and carries greater risk than MUS alone.MethodsThis is a prospective randomized study involving women with stage 1 or 2 cystocele and SUI, who were > 21 years of age, who had had no previous surgery for SUI. Predominant SUI, symptomatic anterior pelvic organ prolapse, and informed consent were mandatory. Patients were randomized as to whether AC had been performed. The sling procedure was left to the surgeon’s discretion: pubovaginal sling, tension-free vaginal tape, or trans-obturator tape. Success was defined as a negative stress test and no evidence of cystocele upon local examination.ResultsNinety-eight patients were enrolled, 48 underwent MUS, and 50 underwent MUS and AC. Mean age ± SD was 44.96 ± 8.13 years. Baseline characteristics were similar. Operative time and blood loss were significantly higher in the MUS/AC group (p = 0.01 and 0.02 respectively). At 3 months, success was 79.1% and 77.8% in the MUS and MUS/AC groups respectively. This was maintained until 6 months (79.1% and 77.8% respectively). At 1 year, the results were comparable with success rates of 96.2% and 87.0% in the MUS and MUS and AC groups respectively. Symptom scores were comparable at 6- and 12-month evaluations.ConclusionMidurethral slings correct symptomatic stage 1 or 2 cystoceles without the need for AC, which carries the risk of a significantly longer procedure and more significant blood loss.

The Variation of Chargemaster Price Listings for Urogynecologic Procedures.

A 2018 Executive Order calling for price transparency required hospitals to publicly provide chargemasters, which are detailed lists of standard price listings for billable medical procedures. The objective of this study was to evaluate price listing variations in common urogynecology procedures. This was a cross-sectional study of chargemasters obtained between February and April 2020 from hospitals across 5 states chosen to reflect the diversity of health systems in the United States. Hospital characteristic and quality metric data were obtained from the Homeland Infrastructure Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services websites. Current Procedural Terminology codes and procedure names for 9 urogynecologic procedures were used to search each chargemaster and extract price listings. Price listings were compared with data on quality, population demographics, and hospital characteristics to determine if any significant relationships existed. Eight hundred thirty-four chargemasters were identified. Price listings for most procedures differed significantly across the 5 states, including colpocleisis, cystoscopy with chemodenervation, diagnostic cystoscopy, diverticulectomy, sacral neuromodulation, midurethral sling, and sacrospinous ligament fixation. Price listings were significantly higher in urban hospitals than rural hospitals for 6 procedures. No significant association was seen with price listing and quality measures for most procedures. Listed prices varied for several urogynecologic procedures. Some of this variation is associated with hospital characteristics such as urban setting. However, notably, price listing was not associated with quality. Further investigation of chargemaster price listings with hospital characteristics and quality metrics and with what is actually paid by patients is imperative for patients to navigate charges.

Do the Ultrasonographic Measures of Midurethral Sling Location Relate With Surgical Outcomes?

The proper placement of a midurethral sling (MUS) is the key factor for a successful surgical outcome. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of perineal ultrasonographic measures of the tape location with subjective and objective outcomes after MUS surgery at midterm follow-up of women. The tape percentile (TP; total urethral length/bladder neck tape distance×100) and urethra tape distance (UTD; the shortest distance from the longitudinal smooth muscle complex of the urethra to the midpoint of the tape) were correlated with midterm surgical success. Patient satisfaction measured with the visual analog scale (VAS) was considered as the primary outcome. The presence of stress urinary incontinence on direct questioning, the Urinary Distress Inventory 6 (UDI-6) scores, findings of the cough stress test, free uroflowmetry, postvoid residual volume, and single-cycle voiding ambulatory urodynamic monitoring (AUM) were the other outcomes. Seventy-eight women were evaluated at a mean follow-up of 4.4 ±3.3 years. Women who were highly satisfied (VAS ≥ 8) had a significantly higher TP (64.7% vs 50.8%, P < 0.001) and lower UTD (3.6 vs 4.5 mm, P = 0.018). Irritative, stress, and obstructive scores at UDI-6 increased as the tape was located closer to the bladder neck (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.044, respectively), and stress symptoms decreased with a tape closer to the urethra (P < 0.001). Women with detrusor overactivity at AUM were found to have a lower TP (P < 0.001). The perineal ultrasonographic evaluation of tape location with UTD and TP seems to be well correlated with the women's midterm MUS surgical outcomes.

Is antibiotic prophylaxis generally safe and effective in surgical and nonsurgical scenarios? Evidence from an umbrella review of randomized controlled trials.

The authors aimed to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of antibiotic prophylaxis through surgical and nonsurgical scenarios and assess the strength of evidence. The authors performed an umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). An evidence map was created to summarize the absolute benefits of antibiotic prophylaxis in each scenario and certainty of evidence. Seventy-five meta-analyses proved eligible with 725 RCTs and 78 clinical scenarios in surgical and medical prophylaxis. Of 119 health outcomes, 67 (56.3%) showed statistically significant benefits, 34 of which were supported by convincing or highly suggestive evidence from RCTs. For surgeries, antibiotic prophylaxis may minimize infection occurrences in most surgeries except Mohs surgery, simple hand surgery, herniorrhaphy surgery, hepatectomy, thyroid surgery, rhinoplasty, stented distal hypospadias repair, midurethral sling placement, endoscopic sinus surgery, and transurethral resection of bladder tumors with only low to very low certainty evidence. For nonsurgery invasive procedures, only low to very low certainty evidence showed benefits of antibiotic prophylaxis for cystoscopy, postoperative urinary catheterization, and urodynamic study. For medical prophylaxis, antibiotic prophylaxis showed greater benefits in nonemergency scenarios, in which patients were mainly with weakened immune systems, or at risk of recurrent chronic infections. Antibiotics prophylaxis may increase antibiotic resistance or other adverse events in most scenarios and reached significance in cystoscopy, afebrile neutropenia following chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Antibiotic prophylaxis in surgical and nonsurgical scenarios is generally effective and seems independent of surgical cleanliness and urgency of diseases. Its safety is not well determined due to lack of available data. Nevertheless, the low quality of current evidence limits the external validity of these findings, necessitating clinicians to judiciously assess indications, balancing low infection rates with antibiotic-related side effects.

Serious complications and recurrences after retropubic vs transobturator midurethral sling procedures for 2682 patients in the VIGI-MESH register

BackgroundMidurethral slings are the gold standard for treating stress urinary incontinence, but their complications may raise concerns. Complications may differ by the approach used to place them. Objective(s)To compare serious complications and reoperations for recurrence after midurethral sling procedures by the retropubic and transobturator routes for female stress urinary incontinence. Study DesignThis analysis covers patients included in the French multicenter VIGI-MESH register since February 2017 who received a midurethral sling for female stress urinary incontinence by the retropubic or transobturator route, excluding single-incision slings. Follow-up continued to October 2021. Serious complications (Clavien-Dindo classification ≥ Grade III) imputable to the midurethral sling and reoperations for recurrence were compared by Cox proportional hazard models including any associated surgery (hysterectomy or prolapse) and a frailty term to consider the center effect. Baseline differences were balanced by propensity score weighting. Analyses using the propensity score and Cox models were adjusted for baseline differences, center effect, and associated surgery. Results1830 participants received a retropubic sling and 852 a transobturator sling in 27 French centers, placed by 167 surgeons. The cumulative two-year estimate of serious complications was 5.8% (95% CI 4.8%-7.0%)) in the retropubic group and 2.9% (95% CI, 1.9%–4.3%) in the transobturator group, that is, after adjustment, half that of the retropubic group (adjusted HR 0.41; 95% CI 0.3-0.6). The cumulative two-year estimate of reoperation for recurrence of stress urinary incontinence was 2.7% (95% CI 2.0-3.6) in the retropubic group and 2.8% (95% CI 1.7-4.2) in the transobturator group, with risk of revision for recurrence higher in the transobturator group after adjustment (adjusted HR 1.9; 95% CI 1.2-2.9); this surplus risk disappeared after exclusion of the patients with a previous surgery for stress urinary incontinence. ConclusionsThe transobturator route for midurethral slings is associated with a lower risk of serious complications but a higher risk of surgical reoperation for recurrence than the retropubic route. Despite the large number of surgeons involved, these risks were low. The data are therefore reassuring.

Safety and Efficacy Report for the Use of Poly-4-Hydroxybutyrate as a Retropubic Mid-Urethral Sling (MUS) for Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Prospective 24 Months Follow-Up of New Poly-4-Hydroxybutyrate TephaFlex SUI Bioresorbable MUS

To investigate the feasibility and safety of the retropubic mid-urethral sling (MUS) procedure with a resorbable mesh implant made of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB). A prospective clinical cohort study with 24 months follow-up. A tertiary academic hospital. Seventeen women with moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence (SUI). A retropubic MUS procedure with P4HB sling. Seventeen women underwent an uncomplicated MUS procedure with a new sling made of resorbable P4HB. Following safety criteria, there has been no need to stop the study before 24 months' end point. Three serious adverse events were reported during follow-up: (1) inability to void urine after 1 week postsurgery, (2) a hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy performed due to a precancerous endometrial lesion at 16 months after initial MUS procedure and (3) exposed mesh with a part of device sheath left behind. These participants underwent an uncomplicated reintervention with no additional and/or permanent harm. Reinterventions because of failure of cure contained 3 second MUS procedures and one admission of urethral bulking agent. Seventy-six percent and 47 percent of patients were objectively cured of SUI at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Preliminary evidence suggests that a sling made of P4HB can be safely used for MUS procedures and could be an alternative for permanent polypropylene slings in patients that prefer the use of nonpermanent material.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Midurethral Sling Timing Among Women Undergoing Prolapse Surgery

(Abstracted from Urogynecology 2023; doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001384) Approximately 25% of women in the United States are affected by pelvic floor disorders, with estimates pointing to a 50% increase in urinary incontinence prevalence and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) by 2050. Surgery for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is also often required, which adds to economic burdens of pelvic floor disorders. Determining the POP patients who would benefit most from concomitant midurethral slings (MUSs) remains a clinical challenge.

Complications of Synthetic Midurethral Slings: Is There a Relevant Discrepancy Between Observational Data and Clinical Trials?

Complications of Synthetic Midurethral Slings: Is There a Relevant Discrepancy Between Observational Data and Clinical Trials?

Efficacy and Safety of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for the Treatment of Female Sexual Dysfunction and Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: There is no clear evidence in the literature that platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections improve female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Objectives: A systematic review was performed to study the efficacy and safety of PRP injections in women with the above pathologies, as well as to explore the optimal dosing, frequency and area of injections, and duration of treatment. Methods: A systematic search on PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library database was performed, as well as sources of grey literature from the date of database or source creation to January 2023. After title/abstract and full-text screening, clinical studies on humans evaluating the efficacy of PRP in gynecological disorders using standardized tools were included. Risk of bias was undertaken with RoB-2 for randomized-controlled trials (RCT) and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for observational studies. Results: Four prospective and one retrospective study explored FSD, while six prospective and one RCT evaluated female SUI. A total of 327 women with a mean age of 51 ± 12 years were included. For FSD, PRP significantly improved the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Vaginal Health Index (VHI) and the Female Sexual Distress score (FSDS). For SUI, PRP led to a significant improvement in the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6). The identified RCT reported a significantly higher mean score of ICIQ-SF (p < 0.05) and UDI-6 (p < 0.01) in the midurethral sling group compared to the PRP injections group. Regarding the risk of bias, the RCT was characterized by high risk, whereas the observational studies were of moderate risk. The protocol for PRP injections for FSD is the injection of 2 mL of PRP into the distal anterior vaginal wall once a month for 3 months. For female SUI, 5-6 mL of PRP should be injected into the periurethral area once a month for 3 months. Conclusions: Despite the promising initial results of PRP injections, the level of current evidence is low due to methodological issues in the available studies. It becomes clear that there is an emerging need for high-quality research examining PRP injections for the treatment of FSD and female SUI.

10066 Identifying Surgical Waste during Midurethral Slings for the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence

10066 Identifying Surgical Waste during Midurethral Slings for the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence