Urethral bulking agents versus other surgical procedures for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence: a systematic review and meta-analysis

European Urogynaecological Association Position Statement: Implantable Devices for Female Stress Incontinence Surgery

The European Urogynecological Association (EUGA) convened an expert group to address the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) using implantable devices. Midurethral synthetic slings (MUS) remain the gold standard, demonstrating high efficacy and an acceptable safety profile. The choice of surgical approach should be tailored to individual patient needs and risk factors. Retropubic MUS may offer slightly higher efficacy but carry specific risks, while transobturator slings are associated with a higher incidence of chronic pelvic and groin pain. Single-incision mini-slings (SIMS) show promise, but further research is needed to establish their long-term efficacy and safety. EUGA emphasizes the importance of thorough patient counseling, including discussion of potential mesh-related complications and challenges of complete device removal. Alternative options, such as urethral bulking agents (UBA), may be considered for patients prioritizing minimal risk or in specific clinical scenarios, and are now adopted even as first-line treatment. The consensus underscores the need for proper patient stratification, comprehensive evaluation, and surgeon expertise in optimizing outcomes. The primary goal of surgical intervention should be to enhance the patient's quality of life. EUGA acknowledges ongoing scrutiny from regulatory bodies and stresses the importance of continued vigilance and research to ensure safe and effective use of surgical interventions for SUI. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to recommend the routine use of artificial urinary sphincters (AUS) in SUI treatment, and further robust data are required to define their role in this context.

Exploring the role of laser therapy for stress urinary incontinence: a literature review

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) significantly impacts the quality of life, necessitating innovative treatment options beyond conventional approaches. This comprehensive review aimed to evaluate laser therapy as a promising intervention for SUI management. A systematic search was conducted using the keywords "laser" and "stress urinary incontinence" in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases. The search covers studies from January 1, 2014, to November 30, 2024. A comparative analysis with traditional treatments, such as pelvic floor exercises and medications, underscores the potential advantages and limitations of laser therapy. Clinical studies and research findings are examined to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of laser therapy, including its short-term success rates and potential complications. Patient experiences and perspectives provide a qualitative dimension, offering insights into the real-world impact and challenges associated with laser therapy for SUI. This review also explores the cost-effectiveness of laser therapy and compares its long-term and short-term effects, positioning it within the broader landscape of SUI management. Future trends and ongoing research are outlined, highlighting the potential integration of laser therapy with multimodal approaches. Recommendations for clinical practice emphasize patient selection criteria and address concerns and expectations, ensuring laser therapy is adopted as a valuable and evidence-based addition to SUI management.

Prevalence, Diagnosis, and Management of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women: A Collaborative Review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI), defined as any involuntary leakage of urine associated with physical activity, remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. This review aims to provide an updated overview of the prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of SUI in women, drawing upon recent evidence-based literature and clinical guidelines.

METHODS

A systematic search of the MEDLINE database was conducted to identify only the most up-to-date and relevant studies published up to February 26, 2024, including the reference ESTER systematic review. The search was limited to systematic reviews published in the preceding 1 yr. Any additional included publications were limited to those published or referenced as part of the existing/current guidelines.

KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS

Diagnosis of SUI involves a comprehensive assessment, including medical history, physical examination, and in some cases, invasive urodynamics. Pelvic floor muscle training emerges as a first-line management strategy, showing efficacy in symptom improvement when good educational instructions and supervision are provided. Surgical interventions with midurethral and single-incision slings offer a second-line option, although concerns regarding mesh-related complications persist with a decrease in its use. Moreover, the long-term efficacy of single-incision slings remains to be confirmed. Urethral bulking agents, colposuspension, and autologous fascial slings are existing alternatives supported by robust evidence, albeit with a different adverse event profile. Management of complicated and severe SUI remains challenging, with autologous fascial sling and artificial urinary sphincters being established treatments, but high-quality data remain lacking.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Heightened awareness and accessibility to SUI treatment are imperative to address the gap between prevalence and medical care-seeking behavior. Pelvic floor muscle training and surgical interventions represent key modalities. However, a notable escalation in invasiveness and complication rates when transitioning to surgical interventions is clear and has resulted in a hesitance among patients to proceed along the treatment continuum, particularly in light of mesh-related complications. Ongoing research is necessary to optimize outcomes and ensure patient safety, particularly for complicated SUI where data on comparative effectiveness remain limited.

Urethral Bulking Agents for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence: Efficacy, Safety, and Impact on the Overactive Bladder Symptoms with an Underlying Detrusor Overactivity

Background: Mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) has always represented a major therapeutic challenge and the management of this type of incontinence is often complicated by uncertain outcomes. Surgical options include interventions targeting both stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and urge urinary incontinence (UUI), although there are no international published guidelines that dictate whether it is better to start with surgical management to address the SUI or UUI component after the failure of conservative treatment. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Macroplastique (MPQ) procedure on overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms in women with MUI with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Methods: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was performed in two tertiary reference centers. We enrolled all women complaining of symptoms of SUI and OAB, dry or wet, with a urodynamically confirmed diagnosis of MUI [urodynamic stress incontinence (USI) with detrusor overactivity (DO)], who took a previous ineffective antimuscarinic treatment and underwent the MPQ procedure. We considered as objectively cured women who did not leak urine during the stress test and with a 1 h pad-test negative, while International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF), ICIQ-OAB, Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale, and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were used to assess subjective outcomes. Results: A total of forty-six patients who met the inclusion criteria and who underwent the MPQ procedure were considered for the analysis. At the 1-year mark of follow-up, 72% of patients were objectively cured at stress test and 65% were objectively cured at pad-test, while 72% of women declared themselves subjectively cured. OAB symptoms significantly improved after MPQ and a complete resolution of OAB was recorded in 35% of patients. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that MPQ is a safe and effective option for the treatment of female MUI. Furthermore, MPQ significantly improves the symptoms of OAB and is able to completely cure this condition in a relevant percentage of women with MUI when pharmacological treatment fails.

Long-Term Outcomes of Tension-Free Vaginal Tape Obturator: Efficacy and Safety at Long-Term Follow-Up

Background/Objectives: The use of tension-free vaginal tape obturator (TVT-O) for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) has been widely debated over the last decade due to the lack of evidence on its long-term outcomes. The aim of this prospective study is to assess, for the first time in the available literature, the efficacy and safety of TVT-O implantation in women with pure SUI over a 17-year follow-up period. Methods: We included all women who complained of pure SUI symptoms (confirmed urodynamically) and underwent the TVT-O procedure. An objective cure was defined as the absence of urine leakage during the stress test, while subjective outcomes were assessed by means of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF), the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale, and a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results: A total of 70 patients who met the inclusion criteria underwent the TVT-O procedure. During the study period, no patients were lost to follow-up, and all women completed the last evaluation at the 17-year mark. At the 17-year mark of follow-up, 62 out of 70 patients (81.4%) were subjectively cured, and 56 out of 70 (80%) patients were objectively cured. These data do not reveal any significant variation in the surgical outcomes over the follow-up period. We recorded seven (10%) tape exposure (three occurred after 10 years and four after 17 years). Among these, one woman was symptomatic for dyspareunia and "hispareunia". All patients with mesh exposure were treated with partial removal and re-suture of the vagina, but only one developed the recurrence of SUI that required a second treatment with a urethral bulking agent (UBA). In all other cases, women reported a complete resolution of symptoms without any worsening of the urinary continence. No significant bladder or urethral erosion was recorded. Conclusions: The 17-year evaluation of the TVT-O procedure has shown that it is a highly effective and safe option for the treatment of female SUI. Although there was an increased risk of tape exposure 17 years after implantation, no serious complications were reported, and no patient required the total removal of the sling.

Does the Polydimethylsiloxane Urethral Injection (Macroplastique®) Improve Sexual Function in Women, in Fertile Age, Affected by Stress Urinary Incontinence?

Background and Objectives: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) negatively affects women’s quality of life, including sexual function. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of polydimethylsiloxane (Macroplastique®) on sexual function in women of fertile age affected by SUI. Materials and Methods: Single-center prospective study. Sexually active women of fertile age with symptoms of pure SUI, which were urodynamically proven, were submitted to intraurethral Macroplastique® injection. At 6-months follow-up, their sexual function was evaluated with Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), while the SUI cure rate was objectively assessed through a negative stress test and subjectively by a Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) score < 3. The difference of coital incontinence prevalence was assessed between the baseline and the 6-month follow-up. Peri- and postoperative complications of Macroplastique® injection were recorded and classified according to the Clavien–Dindo system. Results: Twenty-one women fulfilled inclusion criteria and were submitted to Macroplastique® procedure. The concerning sexual function, desire, satisfaction, and overall FSFI score significantly improved. Since other domains were less impaired at the baseline, we could not assess significant improvement for all of them. We observed a complete regression of coital incontinence (0/21, 0%) in comparison with the baseline (5/21, 23.8%; p = 0.04). The objective SUI cure rate was 76% (16/21), while the subjective SUI cure rate was 80.9% (17/21). One woman developed de novo overactive bladder, and two women developed postoperative voiding dysfunction (self-solved in 24 h). Conclusions: The Macroplastique® urethral injection was demonstrated to be safe and effective in improving sexual function in sexually active women of fertile age affected by pure SUI, urodinamically proven at 6-months follow-up.

Impact of Weight Gain on Surgical Outcomes and Quality of Life among Women after Sling Surgeries

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of body weight gain after sling surgeries on outcomes in women with stress urinary incontinence.

DESIGN

A single-center, retrospective study.

SETTING

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taiwan.

PATIENTS

A total of 248 women who underwent sling surgeries from 2010 to 2015 were reviewed. Patients who gained more than 10% body weight were compared with those with stable body weight.

INTERVENTIONS

Midurethral sling surgery with single-incision, transobturator, or retropubic slings.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Objective success was defined as no urine leakage during the stress test in the filling phase of urodynamic studies. De novo overactive bladder (OAB) was defined as the appearance of urgency, frequency, and/or nocturia, with or without urinary incontinence after midurethral sling surgery persisting after 6 months. Quality of life evaluations included the short forms of the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7. A total of 248 women who underwent sling surgeries and had complete weight measurement and evaluation data before and after the surgeries were included, of whom 47 gained body weight, and 201 had a stable body weight. The median follow-up duration was 18 months (range, 6-47 months). There were no significant differences in surgical outcomes between the 2 groups regarding objective cure rate (86% vs 87%, p = .834), 1-hour pad test (4.5 ± 17.8 vs 3.6 ± 18.6 g, p = .770), or postoperative quality of life (Urogenital Distress Inventory-6: 1.9 ± 2.8 vs 2.8 ± 3.2, p = .122; Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7: 1.8 ± 3.9 vs 2.6 ± 4.3, p = .307). A trend toward increased de novo OAB rate was observed, although this finding was not adequately powered.

CONCLUSION

Weight gain after sling surgeries did not influence surgical outcomes, but there was a nonsignificant trend toward increased OAB in the weight gain group. It may be beneficial to counsel patients with regard to body weight maintenance after sling surgeries.

Retreatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence After Midurethral Sling With Prior Urethral Bulking

IMPORTANCE

There is limited current literature regarding the retreatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after midurethral sling (MUS) placement with prior urethral bulking.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to evaluate the retreatment and perioperative complications of MUS placement with prior urethral bulking compared with MUS placement without prior urethral bulking.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients within the Southern California Permanente Medical Group who underwent MUS placement from January 2009 to December 2020. Patients who underwent prior urethral bulking were compared with a control group without prior urethral bulking in a 1:1 ratio matched by age and MUS procedure date. The primary outcome was the retreatment of SUI after MUS placement with prior urethral bulking. Secondary outcomes were perioperative complications. Regression models were used to evaluate associations between retreatment and perioperative complications while controlling for confounding variables.

RESULTS

Eighty-five patients who underwent MUS placement with prior urethral bulking were identified and matched with 85 control patients who underwent MUS placement without prior urethral bulking. Patients who underwent MUS placement without prior urethral bulking were more likely to have concomitant surgery. Linear regression analysis controlling for the effect of concomitant surgery revealed no difference in estimated blood loss and operative time between the 2 groups. In logistic regression analysis, there was no difference in the retreatment rate and perioperative complications between groups.

CONCLUSION

We found that the unique treatment combination of MUS placement with prior urethral bulking for recurrent SUI seems to have a similar retreatment rate and perioperative complications as MUS placement without prior urethral bulking.

Up-to-Date Procedures in Female Stress Urinary Incontinence Surgery: A Concise Review on Bulking Agents Procedures

To avoid complications related to mid-urethral slings (MUS), alternative procedures to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI), such as urethral bulking agents (UBAs) have been adopted. The aim of this review is to narratively report the efficacy and safety of UBAs for SUI treatment. For this review, research from PubMed and EMBASE was performed to evaluate relevant studies that were undertaken from January 2012 to January 2022. Nineteen prospective studies were included. Several definitions of subjective and objective success were adopted. At a follow-up of <24 months, significant improvement was widely observed, even if with a heterogeneous rate of success between 32.7−90%, and a reinjection rate of 8.3−77.3%. Compared with other procedures, MUS resulted as significantly superior to UBAs but was balanced by a higher complication rate. Acute urinary retention, urinary tract infection and de novo urgency, and other complications, such as injection site rupture, urethral erosion and particle migration have been described after UBAs. SUI after UBAs treatment resulted in improvements in all studies and can be considered a safe and effective option to treat SUI. However, homogenous and longer-term data lack, limiting general recommendations. Thus, larger RCTs evaluating long-term effects are required.

Long-Term Results after Suprapubic ARC Procedure for the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women: A Retrospective Data Analysis

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term safety and efficacy of the suprapubic arc (SPARC) procedure for the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

139 female patients treated by SPARC were included in this retrospective analysis, whereby 126 patients were available for follow-up after 1 year, 70 after 6 years, and 41 after 9 years. The cough test, pad test, uroflowmetry, and post-void residual volume measurements were performed. Severity of bother (visual analogous scale [VAS] 0-10), continence, and the satisfaction rate were assessed. Objective cure was defined as a negative cough test and pad weight ≤1 g, subjective cure as no urine loss during daily activities and no usage of pads. The VAS, pad weight, number of pads per day, and maximal flow rate were compared preoperatively and postoperatively.

RESULTS

Objective cure rates at 1, 6, and 9 years were 78.6, 71.4, and 70.7% and subjective cure rates were 72.2, 55.7, and 65.8%, respectively. The VAS, pad weight, number of pads, and maximal flow rate decreased significantly. Study limitations include a relatively small sample size and the retrospective fashion of the analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

In the long-term context, SPARC showed to represent an efficient and safe procedure for treatment of female SUI.

Periurethral injection with polyacrylamide after previous TVT surgery

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The aim of this registry study was to assess the clinical utility of using periurethral bulking with polyacrylamide hydrogel in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after previous midurethral sling surgery.

METHODS

The study period was 2007 through 2019. Using data from the Norwegian Female Incontinence Registry we included 57 women who had received Bulkamid® because of insufficient improvement or recurrent SUI after previous retropubic TVT surgery. The primary outcome was cure of SUI, and secondary outcomes were patient satisfaction, degree of leakage, change in urgency incontinence (UUI), free flow rate, postvoid residual volume, and complications. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize data and Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare pre- and postoperative results for pairs, with level of significance at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Pure SUI was seen in 19 (33.3%) while 38 (66.7%) had mixed incontinence. Postoperatively 72.9% had a negative stress test and 73.7% were satisfied with treatment. There was only 1 complication in 67 injections (1.5%). De novo UUI occurred in five patients, corresponding to 8.8% of the whole study group, but 26.3% among those with no preoperative UUI problems. Among the patients with preoperative UUI, 39.5% were cured of this problem and a further 36.8% were improved.

CONCLUSIONS

The cure rate and satisfaction rate of periurethral bulking with polyacrylamide after previous MUS are favorable and complications are rare. There seems to be a risk of overactive bladder symptoms developing in women with no such symptoms preoperatively.

What a mesh! An Australian experience using national female continence surgery trends over 20 years

PURPOSE

To review the evolution of female continence surgical practice in Australia over the last 20 years and observe whether vaginal mesh controversies impacted these trends.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From January 2000 to December 2019, medicare benefit schedule codes for female continence procedures were identified and extracted for: mesh sling, fascial sling, bulking agent, female urethral prosthesis, colposuspension, and removal of sling. Population-adjusted incidences per 100,000 persons were calculated using publicly available demographic data. Three discrete phases were defined over the study time frame for analysis: 2000-2006; 2006-2017, and 2017-2019. Interrupted time-series analyses were conducted to assess for impact on incidence at 2006 and 2017.

RESULTS

There were 119,832 continence procedures performed in Australia from 2000 to 2019, with the mid-urethral sling (MUS) the most common (72%). The majority of mesh (n = 63,668, 73%) and fascial sling (n = 1864, 70%) procedures were in women aged < 65 years. Rates of mesh-related procedures steeply declined after 2017 (initial change: -21 cases per 100,000; subsequent rate change: -12 per 100,000, p < 0.001). Non-mesh related/bulking agents increased from + 0.34 during 2006-2017 to + 2.1 per 100,000 after 2017 (p < 0.001). No significant change in mesh extraction was observed over 2006-2017 (+ 0.06 per 100,000, p = 0.192). There was a significant increase in mesh extraction procedures after 2017 (0.83 per 100,000, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Worldwide, controversy surrounding vaginal mesh had a significant impact on Australian continence surgery trends. The most standout trends were observed after the 2017 Australian class-action lawsuit and Senate Inquiry.

Update on surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence

INTRODUCTION

Urinary incontinence is a common condition that negatively impacts quality of life of millions of women. It is a result of a synergy between the structures of pelvic floor in particular levator ani muscle and pelvic connective tissues. Urinary incontinence, increasing with age, is associated with considerable personal and societal expenditure.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Systematic data search performed using PubMed/Medline database up to August 20, 2020. Focus was only for English language publications of original studies on urinary incontinence and in particular stress urinary incontinence.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Given the basis of published evidence and the consensus of European experts, this study provides an updated overview on clinical applications and surgical procedures of urinary incontinence.

CONCLUSIONS

Urinary incontinence is an underestimated health problem. Many surgical options exist for women with stress urinary incontinence. Nevertheless, new strategies need to be evaluated in order to improve quality of life of patients.

Quo Vadis Urogynecology 2020 - Innovative Treatment Concepts for Urinary Incontinence and Pelvic Organ Prolapse

The current treatment for urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse includes a wide range of innovative options for conservative and surgical therapies. Initial treatment for pelvic floor dysfunction consists of individualized topical estrogen therapy and professional training in passive and active pelvic floor exercises with biofeedback, vibration plates, and a number of vaginal devices. The method of choice for the surgical repair of stress urinary incontinence consists of placement of a suburethral sling. A number of different methods are available for the surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse using either a vaginal or an abdominal/endoscopic approach and autologous tissue or alloplastic materials for reconstruction. This makes it possible to achieve optimal reconstruction both in younger women, many of them affected by postpartum trauma, and in older women later in their lives. Treatment includes assessing the patient's state of health and anesthetic risk profile. It is important to determine a realistically achievable patient preference after explaining the individualized concept and presenting the alternative surgical options.

Polydimethylsiloxane Erosion as a Cause for Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

Background: Urethral bulking agents are commonly used for the management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Little long-term data exist for these agents, with few reports of migration or urethral erosion. Case Presentation: We describe a unique case of a woman who received a midurethral sling 3 years after receiving an injection of the urethral bulking agent, polydimethylsiloxane, because of persistent SUI. Her subsequent recurrent urinary tract infections led to the identification of a bladder neck erosion of the urethral bulking agent with a concomitant calcification. Conclusion: When irritative voiding symptoms are experienced in patients who have received urethral bulking agents, erosion must be considered. Furthermore, little is known regarding the definitive management of SUI in patients that have previously received an injection of a urethral bulking agent.

Recent advances in surgical management of urinary incontinence

There have been several recent developments in surgical treatments for male and female incontinence. This article reviews the current options for treatments of urge and stress incontinence in men and women. Treatments for urge incontinence discussed include intradetrusor onabotulinum toxin A, sacral neuromodulation and percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation. For stress incontinence, suburethral mesh, bulking agents, autologous slings, colposuspension, male slings and artificial urinary sphincters are assessed.

Complications of urethral bulking therapy for female stress urinary incontinence

AIMS

To review, report, and discuss the complications associated with urethral bulking therapy in female stress urinary incontinence.

METHODS

An extensive nonsystematic literature review on complications associated with injectable bulking agents used in the clinical practice was conducted. We reviewed articles published in English and indexed in the PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar databases. Original articles, case reports, and case series were taken into consideration. Data regarding the safety of injectable bulking agents and the complications associated with their utility within the context of urethral bulking therapy for female stress urinary incontinence were extracted and discussed.

RESULTS

Approximately, 1/3 of the patients experience some type of a complication after urethral bulking therapy. The majority of these complications are of low grade, transient, do not necessitate additional surgical intervention, and amenable to treatment with conservative measures such as clean intermittent catheterization and antibiotics. However, more serious complications such as abscess formation, delayed hypersensitivity reactions, and vaginal erosion have been reported. Some of the injectable bulking agents have been withdrawn from the market because of their unfavorable adverse effect profile.

CONCLUSIONS

Urethral bulking therapy can be considered as a low-risk procedure. However, it is not without complications which can be severe in rare instances. The search for the ideal urethral bulking agent is ongoing and future comparative studies assessing the safety and efficacy of these compounds in randomized controlled settings are warranted.

Complications of Urethral Bulking Agents for Stress Urinary Incontinence: An Extensive Review Including Case Reports

OBJECTIVES

Stress urinary incontinence in women is a common problem that significantly impacts quality of life. Periurethral injection of urethral bulking agents (UBAs) is a simple, noninvasive, and cost-effective treatment. However, complications associated with UBA are often underappreciated. Objective of this review was to get a complete overview of all published complications of UBA.

METHODS

An extensive search of the scientific literature was conducted to quantitatively summarize the complications and their treatments of 8 UBAs. A total of 117 articles (original articles and case reports) were included in the final analysis. Complication incidence, treatment incidence, and follow-up time were extracted when mentioned. Statistical analysis of complication incidence of each UBA was calculated if possible.

RESULTS

A total of 2095 complications in 6462 treated patients were reported in 79 studies. Sixty-seven (3%) were considered serious implying operative correction (Clavien grade III); of these, 46 (69%) required incision and drainage, and 21 (31%) required a more invasive procedure. In 38 case reports and small case series, 49 patients were treated for 110 complications. Of these 110 complications, 41 (37%) can be classified as Clavien grade III.

CONCLUSIONS

This extensive review shows that various UBAs have different complication rates, with certain UBAs being more prone to serious complications. Based on available publications, most UBAs have a good safety profile, with low complication rates. However, although the majority of UBA complications are transient and require no or noninvasive treatment, serious complications may require invasive intervention and treatment.

A bioactive injectable bulking material; a potential therapeutic approach for stress urinary incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a life changing condition, affecting 20 million women worldwide. In this study, we developed a bioactive, injectable bulking agent that consists of Permacol™ (Medtronic, Switzerland) and recombinant insulin like growth factor-1 conjugated fibrin micro-beads (fib_rIGF-1) for its bulk stability and capacity to induce muscle regeneration. Therefore, Permacol™ formulations were injected in the submucosal space of rabbit bladders. The ability of a bulking material to form a stable and muscle-inducing bulk represents for us a promising therapeutic approach to achieve a long-lasting treatment for SUI. The fib_rIGF-1 showed no adverse effect on human smooth muscle cell metabolic activity and viability in vitro based on AlamarBlue assays and Live/Dead staining. Three months after injection of fib_rIGF-1 together with Permacol™ into the rabbit bladder wall, we observed a smooth muscle tissue like formation within the injected materials. Positive staining for alpha smooth muscle actin, calponin, and caldesmon demonstrated a contractile phenotype of the newly formed smooth muscle tissue. Moreover, the fib_rIGF-1 treated group also improved the neovascularization at the injection site, confirmed by CD31 positive staining compared to bulks made of Permacol^TM only. The results of this study encourage us to further develop this injectable, bioactive bulking material towards a future therapeutic approach for a minimal invasive and long-lasting treatment of SUI.

Patients' perspectives on urethral bulk injection therapy and mid-urethral sling surgery for stress urinary incontinence

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The aim of this study was to identify all treatment decision factors that determined the preference for peri-urethral bulk injection therapy (PBI) or mid-urethral sling (MUS) surgery in patients with primary stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Second, we explored what patients expect from treatment for SUI and whether patients would consider PBI as a primary treatment option.

METHODS

In a qualitative design, 20 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted in women with primary SUI. Exclusion criteria were: previous PBI or MUS surgery; predominating urgency. Interviews were guided by three open-ended questions and a topic list. PBI treatment and MUS surgery were described in detail, and the efficacy was stated as 70% and 90%, respectively. Data saturation was reached when no new treatment decision factors were identified in three consecutive interviews. Interviews were audiotaped and fully transcribed. Thematic analysis by a coding process was done independently by two researchers.

RESULTS

Sixteen procedural, personal, professional, social and external treatment decision factors were identified. Regarding expectations about treatment for SUI, women believed 'becoming dry' was wishful thinking. The majority of patients accepted a small degree of persistent urinary incontinence after treatment. Regardless of their treatment preference, patients indicated that women should be informed about PBI as a primary treatment option.

CONCLUSION

Patients with primary SUI are open to PBI as an alternative treatment option even with lower cure rates compared with MUS surgery performed under general or spinal anesthesia. Patients indicated that women with primary SUI seeking treatment should be informed about PBI as a treatment option.

Para-Urethral Injections with Urolastic® for Treatment of Female Stress Urinary Incontinence: Subjective Improvement and Safety

INTRODUCTION

Female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is often treated surgically. Urethral bulking agents are a minimally invasive alternative, especially in patients suffering from intrinsic sphincter deficiency, but often with limited long-term efficacy. Urolastic® is a non-deformable, non-resorbable silicone elastomer that is used as an injectable. Its properties might result in a more durable response after injection. If this durability factor can be combined with a low complication rate, this can become a useful treatment option. We therefore assessed the subjective improvement and safety after treatment with Urolastic®.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 2 Dutch hospitals, 65 patients were treated with Urolastic®. The subjective improvement was assessed and the medical charts were reviewed for complications that appeared during the follow-up period. The complications were classified using the Clavien-Dindo classification.

RESULTS

We found that 76-88% of the patients showed subjective improvement at 12-25 months follow-up. The rate of improvement experienced was 50-70%. The rate of complications classified as Clavien-Dindo >II was 24-33%. The 12 patients with 75-100% subjective improvement after 2 months, showed 85% improvement after a median of 25 months.

CONCLUSIONS

With careful patient selection, Urolastic® seems to be a safe, durable and effective treatment option for female SUI.

Therapeutic Potential of Adipose-derived Stem Cell-based Microtissues in a Rat Model of Stress Urinary Incontinence

OBJECTIVE

To examine the potential and mechanism of 3-dimensional cultures of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in a rat model simulating menopause combined with preceding childbirth injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

ADSCs were used to generate microtissues (MTs) with a hanging drop method. Forty-eight postpartum Sprague-Dawley rats were developed as SUI models after 4 hours of vagina dilation followed by bilateral ovariectomy. Ten rats that underwent sham ovariectomy without vagina dilation served as the control group. The SUI rats were divided into 3 groups and received urethral injection of phosphate-buffered saline, ADSCs, and MTs. Specimens were harvested for histology examination and ADSCs tracking at days 1, 3, 7, and 28 (n = 3) postinjection. At day 28, the remaining rats were examined for voiding function. Western blot, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry staining were performed to examine histological changes and cytokine expression.

RESULTS

The voiding function and histopathological structures were better recovered in the MT group than in the ADSC group. Compared with ADSCs, MTs express higher level of vascular endothelial growth factor and TNFα-stimulated gene/protein 6 in vitro, and represented a higher retention rate in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Urethral injection of MTs better restored voiding function than ADSCs.