Mini-Slings: Do They Stand the Test of Time? A 10-Year Cohort

INTRODUCTION

It is known that failures after midurethral slings increase with the follow-up time. Nevertheless, data concerning mini-slings are sparse. To clarify this statement, we analyze a mini-sling cohort with a median follow-up of 10 years. Although the brand used, MiniArc®, is no longer available, an identical device, Solyx™, can still be used, which makes the analysis of the cohort clinically relevant.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 172 women with predominant stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were consecutively treated with the mini-sling MiniArc® from 2006 until 2013. They were reevaluated in 2018. The primary outcome, treatment success, was defined as no self-reported SUI symptoms and no reintervention. Secondary outcomes included the response to patient-reported outcomes. Adverse events were assessed.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up time of 113 months, 115 (66.9%) women were available for reevaluation. Forty-four (38.3%) women self-reported SUI. Seventeen women had been reoperated, 14 (12.2%) due to the reappearance of SUI and 3 due to complications. Altogether, MiniArc® had an overall success rate of 47.0% at 10 years. Among those not reoperated, 63.3% stated that they were much better or very much better in Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) and 71.4% affirmed that their continence problem was normal or mild in Patient Global Impression of Severity (PGI-S). Almost 85% would repeat the surgery. Reoperation due to complications was rare (2.6%). De novo urgency appeared in 30.6% of the patients and it was managed with anticholinergic drugs with favorable outcomes.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

This report adds evidence to the long-term outcomes of mini-slings, confirming that they can cure or improve SUI and give patients high satisfaction rates, at the expense of low morbidity.

Ambulatory MiniArc Precise Sling under Local Anesthesia for Stress Urinary Incontinence: Feasibility and Outcome

Aims:

The aim of the study is to assess the feasibility of ambulatory stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery using the MiniArc Precise single-incision urethral sling without increasing the number of complications.

Settings and Design:

This was a retrospective observational study of prospectively collected data carried out in a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Barcelona, Spain.

Materials and Methods:

Forty patients diagnosed with SUI or stress predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) treated surgically between November 2011 and November 2013. The MiniArc Precise^® sling was inserted under local anesthesia in the ambulatory setting.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Descriptive statistics included frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and mean and range for quantitative variables. The statistical package used was SPSS version 17.0.

Results:

Urodynamic studies showed SUI in 78% of cases and stress predominant MUI in 17%. Clinical findings included SUI in 56% of cases and MUI in 44%, with positive stress tests in all participants. The mean intraoperative pain (1–10 Visual Analog Scale) was 2. All patients were satisfied with the use of local anesthesia in the outpatient setting. Perioperative complications did not occur. One case of urinary retention and two cases of urinary tract infection (UTI) developed within this 1^st month after operation and were successfully managed conservatively. Midterm complications included eight cases of UTI and four de novo urge incontinence.

Conclusions:

Placement of the MiniArc Precise sling under local anesthesia is a feasible and safe technique, which when carried out by an experienced surgeon allows to be done as an outpatient basis without increasing the rate of postprocedural complications.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of single-incision mini-slings (MiniArc) versus transobturator mid-urethral slings in surgical management of female stress urinary incontinence

BACKGROUND

To assess the current evidence of effectiveness and safety of single-incision mini-slings (MiniArc) versus transobturator midurethral slings in the management of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

METHODS

A systematic search was performed from the electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library by November 2017. Using RevMan5.3 statistical software, the primary outcomes including subject and objective cure rates at 6 to 24 months follow-up were evaluated. Meanwhile, analysis was also performed for comparing the secondary outcomes such as peri- and postoperative complications, operative data, and quality of life.

RESULTS

Six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 6 retrospective cohort studies involving 1794 patients with SUI were analyzed based on the inclusion criteria. On the basis of our analysis, MiniArc was proven to have a noninferior clinical efficacy compared with transobturator midurethral slings with respect to the objective cure rate (risk ratio [RR] = 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94-1.03, P = .43) and subjective cure rate (RR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.91-1. 04, P = .38). In addition, pooled analysis showed that MiniArc had significantly lower postoperative pain scores (mean difference [MD] = -1.70, 95% CI -3.17 to -0.23, P = .02) and less postoperative groin pain (RR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.18-0.98, P = .04). Moreover, the MiniArc group also had a significantly shorter operation time (MD = -6.12, 95% CI -8.61 to -3.64, P < .001), less blood loss (MD = -16.67, 95% CI -26.29 to -7.05, P < .001), shorter in-patient stay (MD = 1.30, 95% CI -1.74 to -0.86, P < .001), and less urinary retention risk (RR = 1.15, 95% CI 0.46-2.87, P = .77). However, overall evidence was insufficient to suggest a statistically significant difference in the adverse event profile for MiniArc compared with transobturator slings.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis indicates that MiniArc is an effective method treating SUI. When compared with transobturator slings, it not only has a similar high cure rates, but also is associated with shorter operation time, less blood loss, more favorable recovery time, lower postoperative pain scores, less postoperative groin pain, less urinary retention, and absence of a visible wound. However, the findings of this study should be further confirmed by well-designed prospective RCTs with a larger patient series.

Five-Year Outcome of MiniArc Single-Incision Sling Used in the Treatment of Primary Urodynamic Stress Incontinence

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the MiniArc single-incision sling in the treatment of urodynamic stress incontinence (USI) through 5 years.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

SETTING

Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS

Eighty-five patients with USI without needing concurrent procedures who underwent anti-incontinence surgery using the MiniArc SIMS from February 2010 to December 2011.

INTERVENTIONS

Anti-incontinence surgery.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Objective cure was defined as no demonstrable leakage of urine on the cough stress test and 1-hour pad test weight <2 g. Subjective cure was based on negative response to Urinary Distress Inventory question 3, no leakage on coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Most patients were postmenopausal, overweight, and multiparous. Postoperative USI significantly improved (p < .001) through 3 years, and the 1-hour pad test showed significant improvement through 5 years (p < .001). Although 13 patients had recurrence of USI, no repeat surgery was done. The cumulative cure rates may show a declining trend of cure, yet subjective cure was 80.0% and objective cure 84.7%, with age as a significant risk factor for sling failure.

CONCLUSION

MiniArc maintains its effectiveness and safety in treatment of USI through 5 years with high objective and subjective cure rates and low incidence of complications.