Proper understanding of recurrent stress urinary incontinence treatment in women (PURSUIT): a randomised controlled trial of endoscopic and surgical treatment

Perspectives on technology: urethral slings in a post-mesh world

OBJECTIVES

To detail the history of synthetic mid-urethral slings (SMUSs) and fascial slings, their efficacy, associated complications, and changes to practice that have occurred after the issuing of the 2011 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safety Communication statement on transvaginal mesh (TVM), and to highlight the need for surgical registries and high-quality randomised controlled data to guide recommendations for continence procedures, in view of current concerns regarding mesh.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in EMBASE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Database of systematic reviews to identify articles published from 2011 onward, following the FDA Safety Communication regarding TVM.

RESULTS

Prior to the formal FDA Safety Communication in 2011, TVM was considered a safe option for the treatment of both pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The 2011 FDA safety communications and ensuing widely publicised litigation against TVM manufacturers have shifted both surgeon and patient acceptance of mesh products. Several efforts by medical and government bodies have been made to establish ways to monitor the surgical outcomes and safety of mesh products. The Australasian Pelvic Floor Procedure Registry is one such example. Although SMUSs have a long and established safety profile, perceptions of mesh products for SUI have also been negatively affected. The extent of this, however, has yet to be adequately measured through qualitative and quantitative data. The available data suggest it has been difficult for patients and consumers to distinguish between TVM morbidity for POP vs SUI. Furthermore, there remains a lack of high-quality randomised or real-world registry data to definitively exclude the SMUS from the SUI treatment algorithm. Since SMUSs are a viable option for SUI treatment, the concept of a 'post-mesh world' remains contentious.

CONCLUSION

Controversies surrounding SMUSs have changed the treatment landscape of SUI. Against the background of significant litigious action following the FDA warnings against mesh use, there has been significant reduction in the uptake of synthetic mesh products. Although there are ample data related to surgical outcomes and safety for both autologous fascial and retropubic SMUSs in carefully selected patients, informed consent and surgical training will be of paramount importance as newer synthetic materials reach clinical maturity.

[Pelvic floor reconstruction-update 2024: prolapse-associated symptoms and their treatment]

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and associated symptoms of urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, obstructive micturition, defecation, and pain are frequent and a widespread disease with relevant reduction of quality of life and high costs. New insights into functional anatomy and pathophysiology of these pelvic floor dysfunctions let us recognize how ligamentous laxities/defects lead to these dysfunctions. Results of the PROpel study (ClinicalTrials.gov-Identifier: NCT00638235) are shown in which a detailed observation of symptoms (patient-related outcome measures) pre- and postoperatively was performed. Ligamentous vaginal repair of POP enables symptom cure in high percentages for urinary urge incontinence (up to 82%), nocturia (up to 92%), obstructive micturition (up to 87%), fecal incontinence (58-72%), obstructive defecation (71-84%), and pain (53-90%), if caused by POP. Women with POP‑Q stage 2 have similar symptom frequencies as women with POP‑Q stage 3-4, and also similar cure rates of their symptoms. If good anatomical prolapse repair (in responders) was achieved, the cure rates for obstructive micturition, urinary urgency incontinence, and nocturia were significantly higher than in those women with less effective surgical repair. In the future, pelvic floor surgery should have symptom cure as the primary objective and should lead to improved quality of life. The different, currently performed techniques for POP repair have to be investigated concerning this matter.