Retropubic Sling Placement Research Articles

An Unusual Complication of Retropubic Midurethral Sling Placement: Obturator Neuralgia

Midurethral sling placement is a common treatment for female stress urinary incontinence. We report a case of a woman with a 9-month history of significant pelvic and right lower extremity pain following synthetic retropubic sling placement at an outside facility. On evaluation, she had unilateral obturator neuropathy and underwent combined vaginal, and robotic excision of the right arm of the sling. During surgery, the sling was adherent to the obturator nerve and passed laterally through the obturator fossa. Following removal, her pain completely resolved. This case highlights strategies for preventing, diagnosing, and managing an unusual complication of retropubic sling placement, obturator neuralgia.

A Novel Approach to Managing Post Retropubic Vaginal Sling Pain

ObjectiveTo describe a novel technique of using peripheral nerve neuromodulation (PNNM) for the treatment of refractory, mesh-induced chronic pelvic pain. Chronic pelvic pain associated with mesh can be a debilitating complication and there is currently no consensus on treatment. PNNM has been shown to be successful in the treatment of post-traumatic neuralgias but has yet to be studied in mesh complications. Materials and MethodsWe present a case of a 50-year-old woman who had unrelenting pelvic pain after retropubic sling placement. She failed multiple therapies including medications, mesh removal, pelvic floor physical therapy, pudendal neuromodulation, and pelvic floor onabotulinumtoxinA trigger point injections. ResultsThe only treatment that provided temporary relief of this patient's pain was transvaginal trigger point injections along with a right pudendal nerve block using 40 mg triamcinolone and 0.5% ropivacaine. To help define if treatment at the site of her pain would provide relief, a series of blocks were done by advancing a needle retropubically to her area of pain and injecting triamcinolone and 0.5% ropivacaine. This injection, which corresponded to the previous tract of her retropubic sling, provided temporary, but profound, relief. PNNM was then done with placement of the electrode in the retropubic space at the site of her pain. This provided instantaneous relief of almost all of her pain symptoms. Twelve months postoperatively, the patient continued to have >90% improvement in her pain. ConclusionFocused PNNM is a simple procedure and can provide symptomatic relief for refractory postvaginal mesh pain.

Complicaciones intraoperatorias y posoperatorias de las cintas medio uretrales libres de tensión en incontinencia urinaria de esfuerzo

Antecedentes: La colocación de cintas medio uretral son actualmente el tratamiento de primera línea para la incontinencia urinaria de esfuerzo. El objetivo fue evaluar las complicaciones intra y posoperatorias de las cintas transobturadora y retropúbica; y los factores de riesgo asociados.
 Material y métodos: Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo en 105 mujeres durante el 2016 a 2018. Se dividió en dos grupos: TVT (n=28) y TOT (n=77). Se analizaron variables demográficas, factores de riesgo, complicaciones intra y posoperatorias. Se realizo estadística descriptiva y correlación de variables con programa SPSS v17.0, y p ≤ 0.05 estadísticamente significativo.
 Resultados: La edad promedio fue 56.7 ± 8.8 años; 31.4% (n=33) con incontinencia de esfuerzo, 65.7% (n=69) con incontinencia mixta (IUM) y 2.9% (n=3) con incontinencia oculta. La tasa de complicación global fue de 29.5% (n=31). La complicación intraoperatoria común fue la perforación vesical 3.8% en el grupo TVT asociada a obesidad (OR 12.9). Las complicaciones posoperatorias estuvieron relacionadas con la TOT (p=0.049), compuestas por infección de vías urinarias (11.4%), inguinodinea (7.6%) y otras (6.9%). El riesgo de infección urinaria posoperatorio estuvo asociado con incontinencia de esfuerzo (p=0.03), ausencia de tratamiento de incontinencia urinaria mixta (p=0.04); aumentado la tasa de incontinencia urinaria de urgencia de novo.
 Conclusiones: El enfoque transobturador tiene bajos índices de complicaciones transoperatorias en comparación con la retropúbica. La complicación más común en nuestra serie fue la infección urinaria por lo que se requieren estudios prospectivos aleatorizados.

Can Urodynamic Parameters Predict Sling Revision for Voiding Dysfunction in Women Undergoing Synthetic Midurethral Sling Placement?

The objective of the study was to evaluate the utility of urodynamic studies performed before primary midurethral sling placement for stress urinary incontinence in predicting the need for subsequent sling release for voiding dysfunction. The health records of women managed with primary synthetic midurethral sling placement at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2012, were reviewed. The primary outcome was surgical sling release for postoperative voiding dysfunction (ie, prolonged retention, elevated postvoid residual volumes with new voiding symptoms, or de novo onset or worsening of overactive bladder symptoms). Logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between potential clinical risk factors and the primary outcome. Overall, 1629 women underwent primary synthetic midurethral sling placement during the study time frame, including 1081 patients (66%) who underwent a preoperative multichannel urodynamic evaluation. A sling release for voiding dysfunction was performed for 51 patients (3.1%) at a median of 1.9 months postoperatively (interquartile range, 1.3-9.3 months). Patients undergoing sling release were significantly more likely to have had retropubic sling placement (P = 0.003) and concomitant prolapse surgery (P = 0.005). On univariate analysis, no urodynamic parameters were associated with the risk of sling release; evaluated parameters included peak flow rate (P = 0.20), postvoid residual volume (P = 0.37), voiding without detrusor contraction (P = 0.96), and detrusor pressure at maximal flow (P = 0.23). Sling release for voiding dysfunction was rare in our cohort. No urodynamic parameters were associated with the risk of sling release.

Laparoscopic-assisted Retropubic Midurethral Sling Placement: A Technique to Avoid Major Complications

Study ObjectiveTo describe a technique for the safe placement of retropubic midurethral slings in patients undergoing concomitant laparoscopic surgery in order to avoid major complications associated with this procedure such as bladder perforation and retropubic hematomas. DesignStep-by-step video demonstration of the technique. SettingA university tertiary care hospital. PatientsPatients with an indication for retropubic midurethral sling placement because of recurrent stress urinary incontinence, intrinsic sphincter deficiency, or severe pelvic organ prolapse in whom a concomitant laparoscopic surgery has to be performed for other medical conditions. InterventionLaparoscopic opening and dissection of the Retzius space and insertion of the sling under a laparoscopic view of this space. Measurements and Main ResultsThis technique has been mainly used in patients undergoing laparoscopic pelvic organ prolapse repair. No complications have been identified so far, even in high-risk patients such as those with previous Burch colposuspension. ConclusionThis is a simple and reproducible technique for preventing major complications associated with retropubic sling placement in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for other reasons. It also permits the immediate detection and even resolution of complications in case any arise. Even high-risk patients may be safely approached.

Fatal Injury of the Small Intestine during Retropubic Sling Placement.

We describe a case of injury of the small intestine in a patient who underwent placement of Align R retropubic urethral support system (BARD). Absence of characteristic symptoms of the bowel injury and peritonitis led to a rapid development of sepsis, multiple organ failure, and death. Although the placement of midurethral sling is a minimally invasive surgery, good diagnostic skills, proper evaluation of indications, safe performance of the procedure, and thorough postsurgical monitoring are paramount for safe and effective outcome of the surgery.

Evaluation, Treatment and Management of Urinary Incontinence in Patients with Orthotopic Neobladder

Patients who undergo radical cystectomy for bladder cancer require reconstruction of the lower urinary tract. Orthotopic neobladder in carefully selected patients offers a more physiologic way of voiding. However, daytime and nighttime incontinence are commonly seen in male and female patients following surgery. Evaluation of incontinence requires careful history and physical exam to differentiate stress urinary incontinence from neobladder-vaginal fistula or poorly compliant neobladder with hypercontinence. Treatment of incontinence in patients with ONB may include: placement of retropubic sling, artificial urinary sphincter, or repair of fistula when present.

Tension‐free vaginal tape retropubic sling for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after Burch colposuspension failure

To verify the efficacy and to clarify the mechanism of the tension-free vaginal tape retropubic sling for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after Burch colposuspension failure. A total of 24 women having tension-free vaginal tape retropubic sling placement for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after a previous failed Burch urethropexy were enrolled in the present study. Median follow up was 57 months (range 12-96). Pre- and postoperative urethral mobility and urodynamics were evaluated. Preoperatively, all 24 patients had intrinsic sphincter deficiency and 14 had urethral hypermobility. Postoperatively, 15 patients were completely dry and two had a leakage of urine less than 5 g/h. The overall success rate was 70.8%. There was a significant postoperative increase of maximum urethral closure pressure (P < 0.001), and a decrease of average flow rate (P = 0.001) and urethral hypermobility (P < 0.001). When comparing successful with failure cases, only elevated maximum urethral closure pressure (P = 0.002) was significantly different. Multivariate logistic regression showed the change of maximum urethral closure pressure (P = 0.011) was the only independent parameter significantly correlated with the outcome of sling placement. Recurrent stress urinary incontinence with intrinsic sphincter deficiency after Burch colposuspension might be well treated with the tension-free vaginal tape retropubic sling by effectively elevating the maximum urethral closure pressure.