Efficacy and safety of a readjustable midurethral sling (Remeex system) for stress urinary incontinence with female voiding dysfunction

Mid-term results of ReMEEX sling system in female stress urinary incontinence with various indications and feasibility of readjustment

PURPOSE

To examine efficacy and safety of ReMEEX implantation in patients with female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) associated with detrusor underactivity (DU), recurrence, or intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective cohort study included 303 females who underwent ReMEEX system (March 2008 to May 2021). Patients were stratified into three groups by purpose of surgery (SUI with DU, reoperation, and SUI with ISD) and evaluated with following criteria: cure (absence of subjective complaint of leakage and objective leakage in the stress test), improvement (rare leakage subjectively, but satisfaction regardless of stress test), and failure. Primary outcome was success rate of surgery assessed through patient interviews and a stress test. Surgical outcomes and complications were evaluated.

RESULTS

Mean follow-up was 34.4 months (range, 6.0-145.0 months). At the final follow-up visit, 42.9% and 49.2% of patients were cured and improved. Twenty-one point five percent required tension readjustment (mean number, 1.2). The total complication rate was 19.5% (none for grade ≥4). Preoperative Qmax was significantly higher in the ISD group (p<0.001) and preoperative total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) score was significantly higher in the DU group (p=0.044). Moreover, at postoperative 1 year, both total IPSS score and IPSS quality of life score were significantly higher in the DU group (both p=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The success rate of ReMEEX system was 92.1% at mean follow-up of 34.4 months in female SUI with DU, reoperation, or ISD. It also enabled postoperative readjustment of sling tension, as needed, up to 130 months after surgery.

Long-term Safety of Synthetic Midurethral Sling Implantation for the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Adult Women: A Systematic Review

Context

Midurethral slings (MUSs) are the most used therapy for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). While warning signals about potential complications have been raised worldwide, there is a lack of safety data especially in the long term.

Objective

Our objective was to evaluate synthetic MUS safety outcomes at long term in adult women.

Evidence acquisition

We included all studies evaluating MUSs in adult women with SUI. All synthetic MUSs have been considered: tension-free vaginal tape (TVT), transobturator tape (TOT), and mini-slings. The primary outcome was the reoperation rate at 5 yr.

Evidence synthesis

Of 5586 references screened after duplicate removal, 44 studies (8218 patients) were included. Among these, nine were randomized controlled trials and 35 were cohort studies. The overall reoperation rates at 5 yr varied between 0% and 19% for TOT (11 studies), 0% and 13% for TVT (17 studies), and 0% and 19% for mini-slings (two studies). The overall reoperation rates at 10 yr varied between 5% and 15% for TOT (four studies) and between 2% and 17% for TVT (four studies). There were few safety data beyond 5 yr: 22.7% of the articles reported a follow-up at ≥10 yr and 2.3% at ≥15 yr.

Conclusions

The incidence rates of reoperations and complications are heterogeneous, and data beyond 5 yr are rare.

Patient summary

There is an urgent need to improve safety monitoring of mesh as our review highlights that available safety data are heterogeneous and of insufficient quality to guide the decision.

Mid-term results of the Remeex® readjustable sling for female complex stress urinary incontinence and sonographic hypomobile urethra

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

We aimed to evaluate the results of a readjustable sling (Remeex® system) among a selected group of women with complex stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with sonographic hypomobile urethra and assessing failure-related risk factors.

METHODS

Observational, longitudinal, prospective cohort study, including patients who underwent surgery with the Remeex® system. The primary outcome was a binary outcome in change of one level or more of the severity of urinary incontinence symptoms according to the intervals of the Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) score (mild, moderate, severe and very severe). Secondary outcomes were postsurgical complications, absolute ICIQ-UI-SF, 24-h pad weight test (24-h PT), urodynamic SUI and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) score to evaluate subjective success.

RESULTS

Among 120 women included, after surgery we found a 70% subjective success rate, a 76.7% decrease of urinary incontinence severity and a mean reduction of the 24-h PT of 109.6 ± 291.4 g. Women with post-surgical decreased severity of incontinence had lower mean body mass index (BMI) and 24-h PT than those without incontinence severity changes with statistically significant differences (p = 0.028 and p = 0.027, respectively). A logistic regression model demonstrated that a 1-point increase of BMI increased the risk of persistence of incontinence severity after surgery by 19% (OR = 1.19; 95% CI: 1.01-1.41; p = 0.040), and an increase of 10 g in the pre-surgical 24-h PT represented a 3% rise of the aforementioned risk (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01-1.06; p = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with complex SUI and sonographic hypomobile urethra, use of a readjustable sling (Remeex® system) led to improvement of SUI. Patients with a greater BMI and pre-surgical 24-h PT showed worse results after surgery.

[Treatment of female recurrent or not stress urinary incontinence with intrinsic sphincter deficiency: Sub-urethral retropubic adjustable sling (Remeex)]

INTRODUCTION

Recommendations for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) due to intrinsic sphincteric deficiency (ISD) or recurrent, are complex. They accept the use of sub-urethral slings (BSU), if unsuccessful the artificial urinary sphincter. The objective was to report the results in terms of continence and morbidity of the Remeex® Adjustable BSU in the treatment of SUI by ISD recurrent or non-recurrent.

METHOD

Monocentric retrospective study of 70 patients with a mean age of 67.7 years (±12) operated of Remeex sling, between 2015 and 2019, was conducted. Preoperative and postoperative characteristics were analyzed from medical records. Two groups were analyzed: Group A (n=28) with no history of incontinence surgery and Group B (n=42) with history (recurrent). Patients who were totally continent (0 protection) and those who were socially continent (1 safety protection) were considered successful.

RESULT

Postoperative success rate was similar between groups B (90 %) and A (92%) with respectively: 64% versus 71% of totally continent patients, 26% versus 21% wearing safety protection. The postoperative complications were mainly Clavien II (28%) such as urinary tract infections (6%), transient urinary retention (3%) and de novo bladder overactivity (20%) with no significant statistical difference between the groups. Six patients were reoperated (Clavien III): BSU detension (1%), vaginal exposure (4%) (including one total material removal for infection), varitensor explantation (1%) or scar disunion (1%).

CONCLUSION

The Remeex® BSUA seems to lead to satisfactory perioperative results in patients with SUI with ISD recurrent or non-recurrent.

Current Overview of Surgical Options for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a highly prevalent health condition that significantly impacts the quality of life. Traditional methods of treatment for SUI, such as pubovaginal sling and Burch colposuspension, have been replaced by the midurethral sling because of its high efficacy, low complication and morbidity rates, and short learning curve. Although multiple behavioral and operative treatments exist, midurethral slings are the gold standard for the treatment of SUI in women. However, several reports have raised concerns about complications caused by the synthetic mesh used in midurethral slings. Therefore, surgical treatment for SUI in women must be chosen with care, taking into account potential complications. Herein, we review the current safety issues pertaining to the use of meshes, the efficacy of traditional surgeries, old and new midurethral slings, and recent data comparing the efficacy and safety of different surgical options. This review is aimed at developing practical guidelines for choosing surgical options for women with SUI.

Management of Urinary Incontinence With Underactive Bladder: A Review

Urinary incontinence is caused by storage function failure, while underactive bladder (UAB) is caused by a decline in detrusor contractility and voiding dysfunction. As the treatment mechanisms for incontinence and UAB are contrary to each other, it is difficult to treat both incontinence and UAB, and the patient's quality of life can be further degraded. Conventional midurethral sling (MUS), such as transobturator tape or retropubic MUS, introduces a risk of postoperative voiding dysfunction in stress urinary incontinence with UAB. However, there have been several reports about the efficacy and safety of conventional MUS. Adjustable sling procedures, such as transobturator adjustable tape or the Remeex system, have better outcomes than conventional MUS because they control tension both during and after surgery. When voiding dysfunction occurs after incontinence treatment with UAB, voiding symptoms can be improved by various therapeutic modalities. Clean intermittent catheterization is recommended for patients with significant increased postvoid residual volumes or urinary retention. Although pharmacotherapy such as with alpha-blockers or parasympathomimetics can be considered for UAB, there is insufficient evidence of their effect on incontinence with UAB. Future therapies, such as stem cell therapy or gene therapy, may be used to treat incontinence with UAB. The possibility of management urgency urinary incontinence that related to detrusor hyperactivity with impaired contractility using sacral neuromodulation has been suggested. Further research is needed to establish evidence for the efficacy and safety of treatments for incontinence with UAB and improve patient quality of life.

Artificial Urinary Sphincter for Postradical Prostatectomy Urinary Incontinence - Is It the Best Option?

Male stress urinary incontinence (SUI) can undoubtedly reduce quality of life and promote personal distress and psychosocial alienation. The frequency of postprostatectomy urinary incontinence (PPI) counts on the characterization of urinary incontinence and the periods of patient follow-up. Operational therapeutics, for instance, urethral male slings and artificial urinary sphincters, are well-chosen as adequate and secure surgeries for male SUI in men with continual PPI when conservative treatment is ineffective. Over the former 2 decades, surgery has progressed regarding both operative approach and sling architecture. However, there are no guidelines about when surgery should be carried out and which is the most appropriate surgical option. In this review, we summarize recent advances in implantable devices for PPI and also discuss traditional surgical care. When we are planning the male PPI surgery, careful preoperative work-up should be performed and surgical method should be chosen according to the severity of the disease. Male sling is preferred in mild and moderate symptomatic patients with normal detrusor pressure and it is recommended to select traditional artificial urinary sphincter device in those with severe symptoms. It is expected that effective devices without adverse events will be developed with technical advances in near future.

Readjustable midurethral sling (REMEEX system) in obese women

Purpose

To evaluate the success rate and patient satisfaction with the readjustable midurethral sling (REMEEX system) for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD) or recurrent SUI in obese and non-obese women.

Materials and Methods

Between August 2009 and August 2015, 70 patients who treated with the REMEEX system were stratified into normal, overweight and obesity groups according to body mass index. Objective surgical outcomes were evaluated using a 1-hour pad test that was performed 3 months after surgery. The subjective outcomes and degree of patient satisfaction were evaluated 3 months and 1 year after surgery.

Results

Twenty-six normal weight, 31 overweight, and 13 obese women were included in the study. The objective cure rate determined using the 1-hour pad test revealed that 11 women (42.3%) were cured and 15 (57.7%) had improved in the normal weight group, respectively, compared with 16 (51.6%) and 15 (48.4%) in the overweight group and 6 (46.2%) and 7 (53.8%) in the obese group, respectively (p=0.78). One year after surgery, the subjective success rate was 91.5% in the normal weight group, 93.5% in the overweight group and 92.3% in the obese group. A total of 84.7%, 77.4%, and 77.0% of normal weight, overweight and obese women were very satisfied or satisfied 1 year after surgery, respectively. All groups showed similar success rates and satisfaction.

Conclusions

The REMEEX procedure is equally effective in obese and normal weight women with ISD-type SUI or recurrent SUI.

Effectiveness of the Remeex system™ in Colombian women with recurrent stress urinary incontinence or intrinsic sphincter deficiency

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

We report our experience with the Remeex system™ in women with recurrent stress urinary incontinence (SUI) or intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD).

METHODS

A multicenter retrospective study was conducted in women who underwent an adjustable sling procedure between 2011 and 2016. We used urodynamic studies (UDS) preoperatively and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and cough stress test (CST) pre- and postoperatively. Primary outcomes were subjective (no leakage reported by the patient) and objective (no leakage during CST) cure and improvement rates (reduction of ≥4 points in ICIQ-SF). Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed.

RESULTS

A total of 50 patients were included. Mean age was 62 years (SD ± 11.35). Median follow-up was 19.5 months [interquartile range (IQR) 12.95-41.38]. Urinary incontinence (UI) was described as moderate and severe by 8 (16%) and 42 (84%) patients, respectively, and 25 (50%) had stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). Objective and subjective cure rates were 90% and 48%, respectively, while 82% of patients achieved improvement. Impact of UI on quality of life (QoL) improved from 10 (IQR 9-10) to 2 (IQR 0-5) (p < 0.0001). Clavien-Dindo II complications occurred in 14 (28%) patients, and one (2%) had IIIa. Tape erosion occurred in one (2%) patient, and five (10%) required readjustments. Logistic regression identified MUI [odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-10.89] and vaginal atrophy (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.06-16.03) as predictors of low subjective cure rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Adjustable slings represent a valuable and safe option in the management of recurrent SUI or ISD, with improvement in QoL. Results should be carefully interpreted due to our small sample and retrospective design.