[Paraurethral abscess developing after mid-urethral Zuidex-injection in women with stress urinary incontinence -- management of complications and retrospective comparison with bladder neck located injection technique]

Long-term complications of bulking agents in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence: Results of a national survey

Introduction and Objectives:

Bulking agents have been used for decades as an alternative treatment for patients with stress urinary incontinence who are not appropriate for surgery. Despite this their long-term complications are poorly documented and can be misdiagnosed. This paper presents a literature review and the results of a national survey of members of the Section of Female, Neurological and Urodynamic Urology (FNUU) of the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) identifying the common long-term complications of widely used bulking agents in clinical practice.

Methods:

Following a comprehensive literature review an electronic survey was sent to members of the BAUS Section of FNUU. Data included hospital trust, use of urethral bulking agents (including type), the approximate number of procedures performed and whether any long-term complications had been observed and managed in their practice. Long-term complications were defined as those arising more than 12 months after treatment.

Results:

The literature review revealed multiple case reports of complications secondary to bulking agent injection but no high-level evidence regarding frequency or severity. The survey revealed complications including granulomas, erosions, abscesses and misdiagnoses of urethral diverticula and calculi formation. 88% of urologists who responded to the survey had performed a urethral bulking agent injection and 51% of urologists had observed or treated a long-term complication, some many decades after injection.

Conclusion:

Patients should be made aware of possible long-term complications of what appears to be a minimally invasive procedure in order for them to make an informed choice about treatment options.

Level of evidence:

Not applicable

Deflux® (NASHATM/Dx) urethral bulking injections: Outcomes over a decade in women with stress urinary incontinence

Objectives:

Urethral bulking injections are thought to be a low risk minimally invasive but temporary treatment option for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with increasing prominence especially in the current era of the mesh controversy. However, little is known about their long-term effects. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and long-term outcomes of Deflux®, a non-animal stabilised hyaluronic acid/dextranomer (NASHATM/Dx) gel, when used as a urethral bulking agent in the treatment of SUI in women.

Methods:

All women with SUI treated with Deflux® from 2001 to 2007 were analysed. The success rates, duration of efficacy and short- and long-term complications of the treatment were recorded.

Results:

A total of 142 women with a follow-up of up to 13 years (mean 8.8 years) were included. Subjective treatment success was achieved in 92/142 (65%) patients. In those who achieved continence, the mean efficacy was 4.7 years. Side effects were uncommon with 12 (6%) of 209 experiencing transient urinary retention and 11 (5%) of 209 experiencing pseudocyst formation. All pseudocysts were treated successfully with an incision and drainage under either general or local anaesthetic. Sixty (42%) of 142 patients went on to have subsequent definitive incontinence surgery, and Deflux® treatment was found not to have negatively impacted the operation.

Conclusion:

Deflux® urethral bulking injections appear to be efficacious and safe when used as a treatment for SUI in women with a longer duration of efficacy than previously thought and a low side effect profile. This study provides a valuable timeline to help manage the expectations of patients considering urethral bulking treatment.

Level of evidence:

4

An Open-Label, Noncomparative, Multicenter Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of NASHA/Dx Gel as a Bulking Agent for the Treatment of Fecal Incontinence

Fecal incontinence (FI) is the involuntary loss of rectal contents through the anal canal. Reports of its prevalence vary from 1–21%. Studies, have demonstrated a positive effect on FI symptoms with injectable bulking agents. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of NASHA/Dx gel in the treatment of FI. One hundred fifteen eligible patients suffering from FI received 4 injections of 1 mL NASHA/Dx gel. Primary efficacy was based on data from 86 patients that completed the study. This study demonstrated a ≥50% reduction from baseline in the number of FI episodes in 57.1% of patients at 6 months, and 64.0% at 12 months. Significant improvements (P < .001) were also noted in total number of both solid and loose FI episodes, FI free days, CCFIS, and FIQL scores in all 4 domains. The majority of the treatment related AEs (94.9%) were mild or moderate intensity, and (98.7%) of AEs resolved spontaneously, or following treatment, without sequelae. Results of this study indicate NASHA/Dx gel was efficacious in the treatment of FI. Treatment effect was significant both in reduction of number of FI episodes and disease specific quality of life at 6 months and lasted up to 12 months after treatment.

An open multicenter study of polyacrylamide hydrogel (Bulkamid®) for female stress and mixed urinary incontinence

Introduction

Polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAHG, Bulkamid®) is a promising urethral bulking agent. This multicenter study was carried out to evaluate safety and efficacy of Bulkamid® for female stress and mixed urinary incontinence.

Methods

Submucosal injection of Bulkamid® was performed in 135 women with urinary incontinence (stress, 67; mixed, 68) followed for 12 months. Forty-seven had a reinjection (35%).

Results

At 12 months, the subjective response rate was 66%. Incontinence episodes/24 h and urine leakage g/24 h decreased significantly (from 3.0 to 0.7 and 29 g to 4 g, respectively). Additionally, the median International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire score was reduced to approximately 50%, and the overall quality of life visual analogue scale score was decreased significantly (from 72 to 20). Efficacy was very similar between patients with stress and mixed incontinence. Thirty treatment-related adverse events were registered. The most frequent was urinary tract infection (n = 10). No polyacrylamide hydrogel-specific adverse events were seen.

Conclusions

Bulkamid® is an effective and safe bulking agent in women with stress or mixed incontinence.

Long-term outcome of transurethral injection of hyaluronic acid/dextranomer (NASHA/Dx gel) for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI)

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

To investigate the long-term safety and efficacy of transurethral injection of NASHA/Dx gel in women suffering from stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

METHODS

Women with SUI treated with NASHA/Dx gel via the transurethral Implacer device at Mayday University Hospital between November 2002 and December 2003 had long-term outcomes of therapy evaluated.

RESULTS

Eighteen of 21 were followed-up at mean 6.7 years (±SD 0.15). One year after the injection, 11/21 (52.3%) reported improvement. Of the women, 6/21 (28.5%) had a repeat injection and seven (33.3%) women experienced adverse events in the form of periurethral swellings. At 6.7 years, only one of seven women was continent of urine without requiring any further continence procedure, 44.4% were still experiencing SUI symptoms. Nine of 18 (42.8%) had undergone other continence procedures.

CONCLUSION

Transurethral injection of NASHA/Dx gel in women with SUI is associated with complications and not effective in the long term.

Urethral bulking agents: techniques and outcomes

Stress urinary incontinence is a common health problem affecting women and interfering with their quality of life. The use of bulking agents for urethral augmentation seems to be a beneficial way of restoring continence in these patients while avoiding the risk of surgical intervention. Many agents are available for injection, but the ideal choice should be durable, nonmigratory, and hypoallergenic, while evoking healing with minimal scarring. We reviewed the literature to provide an update on the best techniques of bulking agent injection, to describe the different available injectable agents, and to give their outcome and possible complications.

Where should bulking agents for female urodynamic stress incontinence be injected?

For bulking agents used for female stress urinary incontinence, the recommendation for the anatomical placement varies as some injectables are to be placed close to the bladder neck and others midurethrally. Aim of the study was to determine if there are differences concerning the outcome after transurethral collagen injections depending on the anatomical placement midurethrally or at the bladder neck. We randomly assigned 30 elderly female patients with urodynamic stress incontinence to either transurethral collagen injection midurethrally or to the bladder neck. Prior to injection and at ten month follow-up, maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP), functional urethral length (FUL), maximum flow rate and cough test were performed and the patient was asked to estimate her bladder condition using a visual analogue scale. Postoperative contentness was 8 (median, 95% confidence interval 5-9) in the midurethral group and 8 (median, 95% confidence interval 7-10) in the bladder neck group with a p value of 0.012, 95% confidence interval -2.464 to -0.2859, in favour to midurethral injections. MUCP and FUL increased significantly in both groups and flow rate decreased in both groups. Continence was 66.6% in the midurethral group and 60% for the bladder neck group respectively. Both midurethral and bladder neck collagen injections improve patients' satisfaction almost equally with a small advantage for midurethral injections.

[Periurethral pseudocysts following urethral injections of Zuidex: review of the literature]

Periurethral dextranomer/hyaluronic acid (Zuidex) is a mini-invasive technique for female stress-urinary incontinence and minimal adverse effects were described. Pseudocysts were recently described. Twenty-nine cases only are reported in the literature and the authors illustrate the review with an additional case. Asymptomatic cases, pain and low stream were observed. On clinical examination, a tenderness or visible periurethral deformation need to precise the characteristics with ultrasonography and MRI. Symptomatic cases may benefit from puncture, although the patients must be informed of a potential recurrence of the incontinence.