Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A New Tool for the Diagnosis of Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWMRI), a noninvasive procedure, can contribute to the diagnosis of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC). METHODS: The pelvic DWMRI of patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome was selected between January 2012 and June 2017. A radiologist analyzed the bladder wall signal; he was blinded to the patients' clinical data. According to the 2008 European Society for the Study of Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis criteria, 2 groups of patients were determined: BPS/IC and no BPS/IC. The association between BPS/IC and the wall signal intensity was compared. RESULTS: In the 106 patients included, 82 had criteria for BPS/IC and 24 did not. A significant difference in the distribution of the signal was found between the 2 groups (p = 0.01). High signal intensity of the bladder wall was related to the presence of a BPS/IC with a sensitivity of 28% and a specificity of 88%. No signal intensity of the bladder wall was related to the absence of a BPS/IC with a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 29%. CONCLUSIONS: In -DWMRI, high bladder wall signal intensity helps to affirm a BPS/IC, whereas the absence of signal helps to exclude the diagnosis. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.

Promoter hypermethylation of HS3ST2, SEPTIN9 and SLIT2 combined with FGFR3 mutations as a sensitive/specific urinary assay for diagnosis and surveillance in patients with low or high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a high incidence form of bladder cancer (BCa), where genetic and epigenetic alterations occur frequently. We assessed the performance of associating a FGFR3 mutation assay and a DNA methylation analysis to improve bladder cancer detection and to predict disease recurrence of NMIBC patients. METHODS: We used allele specific PCR to determine the FGFR3 mutation status for R248C, S249C, G372C, and Y375C. We preselected 18 candidate genes reported in the literature as being hypermethylated in cancer and measured their methylation levels by quantitative multiplex-methylation specific PCR. We selected HS3ST2, SLIT2 and SEPTIN9 as the most discriminative between control and NMIBC patients and we assayed these markers on urine DNA from a diagnostic study consisting of 167 NMIBC and 105 controls and a follow-up study consisting of 158 NMIBC at diagnosis time's and 425 at follow-up time. ROC analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each assay alone and in combination. RESULTS: For Diagnosis: Using a logistic regression analysis with a model consisting of the 3 markers' methylation values, FGFR3 status, age and known smoker status at the diagnosis time we obtained sensitivity/specificity of 97.6 %/84.8 % and an optimism-corrected AUC of 0.96. With an estimated BCa prevalence of 12.1 % in a hematuria cohort, this corresponds to a negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.6 %. For Follow-up: Using a logistic regression with FGFR3 mutation and the CMI at two time points (beginning of the follow-up and current time point), we got sensitivity/specificity/NPV of 90.3 %/65.1 %/97.0 % and a corrected AUC of 0.84. We also tested a thresholding algorithm with FGFR3 mutation and the two time points as described above, obtaining sensitivity/specificity/NPV values of, respectively, 94.5 %/75.9 %/98.5 % and an AUC of 0.82. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that combined analysis of FGFR3 mutation and DNA methylation markers on urine can be a useful strategy in diagnosis, surveillance and for risk stratification of patients with NMIBC. These results provide the basis for a highly accurate noninvasive test for population screening and allowing to decrease the frequency of cystoscopy, an important feature for both patient quality of life improvement and care cost reduction.

The Diagnostic and Prognostic Performance of Urinary FGFR3 Mutation Analysis in Bladder Cancer Surveillance: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic and prognostic performance of a noninvasive FGFR3 mutation analysis. After transurethral resection (TUR) of noninvasive bladder transitional cell carcinoma (B-TCC), recurrence occurs in 70% of patients, thus justifying cystoscopic surveillance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective multicenter study was carried out with a 2-year follow-up of patients with superficial B-TCC. Urine samples were collected before TUR and then before each cystoscopy during follow-up. Screening for the most prevalent FGFR3 mutations was done using urinary cells. The prognostic significance of an FGFR3 mutation at the time of the initial diagnosis was determined. The performance of the test in diagnosing and/or predicting recurrence during follow-up was assessed by calculating sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: Of 191 patients studied, 74 (39%) had a positive analysis before TUR (FGFR3 mutation group). The presence of an FGFR3 mutation at the time of diagnosis was associated with a shorter time to recurrence (P = .02). During follow-up, 68 patients from the FGFR3 mutation group were evaluated. FGFR3 mutation analysis showed a sensitivity of 0.73 and a specificity of 0.87 when compared with the results of cystoscopy. A positive urine test was predictive of recurrence either at the time of the positive result or later during the 2-year follow-up, with a sensitivity of 0.70 and a specificity of 0.87. CONCLUSION: Among patients with an FGFR3 mutation in the initial tumor, a noninvasive urine test during follow-up can be valuable in diagnosing or predicting subsequent recurrence.

75NC007 device for noninvasive stress urinary incontinence management in women: a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) with intravaginal devices is an alternative to surgical management, but data of a high level of evidence remain scarce. Our goal was to assess efficacy, tolerance, and acceptability of the 75NC007 intravaginal device for SUI management. METHODS: A phase III, multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted. After an initial washout period with no treatment, allowing baseline evaluation, women with SUI were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group (no treatment). The primary endpoint was the reduction of incontinence episode frequency (IEF), according to bladder diaries, as compared to baseline. Secondary endpoints were variation of the Urinary Symptom Profile (USP) score, of 24-h pad test, and of CONTILIFE questionnaire scores as compared to baseline. Intent-to-treat and per-protocol analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients were enrolled and analyzed (26 controls and 29 treated). The mean relative variations of IEF, SUI USP subscore, and overactive bladder (OAB) USP subscore were more significant in the treatment group than in the control group (-31.7 ± 65.1 % vs -7.6 ± 24.5 %, p = 0.002, -2.4 ± 2.6 vs 0.2 ± 2.2, p = 0.004, and -1.5 ± 2.8 vs 0.2 ± 1.8, p = 0.016, respectively). The dysuria USP subscore was slightly decreased in the treatment group. CONTILIFE scores were slightly improved in the treatment group. Pad test variations were not different between groups. No serious adverse event was noted throughout the entire study. CONCLUSIONS: The 75NC007 intravaginal device is a safe and effective noninvasive treatment of SUI in women.

Ajust single incision transobturator sling procedure for stress urinary incontinence: results after 1-year follow-up.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Data on the Ajust, a new single-incision sling procedure for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) management, remain scarce and limited to a 1-year follow-up. Our goal was to assess the efficacy of this procedure after a 1-year follow-up. METHODS: This prospective evaluation involved 95 consecutive patients implanted with Ajust at a single centre. All patients had SUI on urodynamics due to urethral hypermobility, 33 % had preoperative overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and none had detrusor overactivity. Ninety-two patients were treated on an outpatient basis, and 3 patients had general anaesthesia. Postoperative assessment was conducted at 1, 6, 12 months, and yearly thereafter. The main outcome measure was pad usage. Secondary parameters were self-reported SUI episodes, OAB symptoms, data of clinical examination, satisfaction using the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale, postoperative pain, and adverse events. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 21 ± 6 months (12-32), 76 out of 95 patients used no pads or one dry security pad, showing a success rate of 80 %. Seventy-nine out of 95 patients had no more SUI-related leakage. Only 6 patients experienced late recurrence of SUI after 6 months' follow-up. Perioperative complications included 1 case of vaginal hematoma, 1 case of acute urinary retention, 2 cases of urinary tract infection, all managed conservatively. Half of the patients had no pain after day 1, free of medications. Late complications were vaginal erosion in 1 case, and pain during exertion in 2 cases. CONCLUSIONS: The Ajust single incision transobturator sling is a safe and effective procedure, with durable results after 1 year.

[Epidemiology of female urinary incontinence]. / Epidémiologie de l'incontinence urinaire de la femme.

Female urinary incontinence becomes a real public health issue in France, with high frequency and outcomes on 20 to 30% of concerned women. Prevalence of incontinence is widely under-estimated because few women consult a physician for this problem, and because of the lack of epidemiologic data about it. Despite female urinary incontinence will increase in the next future with "baby boom" population, and in spite of new treatments, medical help is not suitable. Physicians but also nurses and physical therapists must have better professional training to help and care better these women.

Mid-term evaluation of the transobturator male sling for post-prostatectomy incontinence: focus on prognostic factors.

OBJECTIVE: • To assess clinical outcomes at mid-term follow-up and determine preoperative factors associated with the failure of the Advance(TM) male sling for post-prostatectomy incontinence (PPI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: • A prospective evaluation was conducted of 136 consecutive patients implanted with the Advance(TM) male sling for mild to moderate stress urinary incontinence after prostatectomy. • Patients were preoperatively evaluated using medical history, ASA score, urodynamics, 24-h pad test and pad usage. • The clinical outcome was evaluated according to pad use and the Patient Global Impression of Improvement scale and by assessment of side effects. 'Cure' was defined as no pad usage and 'improvement' as a decrease in pad use by >50%. • Factors related to functional outcome were studied by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: • After a mean ± SD (range) follow-up of 21 ± 6 (12-36) months, 62% of patients were cured, 16% improved and 22% not improved. • Failure (no cure or improvement) was associated with previous urethral stricture surgery (P= 0.013) and a 24-h pad-test >200 g/day (P= 0.026), and there was a trend for an association with previous radiation therapy (P= 0.053). • Age, learning curve and type of prostatectomy did not affect the results. • Immediate postoperative complications were limited to two cases of dysuria, one case of perineal haematoma and two cases of perineal paresthesia. During follow-up, 10% of patients had perineal pain and 14% of patients had mild dysuria. None required surgical management. CONCLUSION: • The results of the present study, with a follow-up of up to 3 years, confirm that the Advance(TM) male sling is an efficient treatment for PPI. However, particular attention should be given to the preoperative data associated with failure.

Intrasphincteric injections of autologous muscular cells in women with refractory stress urinary incontinence: a prospective study.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Cell therapy for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) management has been experienced with encouraging results. METHODS: We conducted an open prospective study on 12 women presenting severe SUI with fixed urethra, after previous failed surgical management. Patients underwent intrasphincteric injections of autologous progenitor muscular cells isolated from a biopsy of deltoid muscle. Primary endpoint focused on safety (measurement of Q(max) variation after 3 months). Secondary endpoints assessed side effects and efficacy. RESULTS: No variation was diagnosed on Q(max) measurements. Efficacy data show that three of 12 patients are dry at 12 months, seven other patients are improved on pad test but not on voiding diary, and two patients were slightly worsened by the procedure. Quality of life was improved in half of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Cell therapy for severe multioperated cases of SUI is a mini-invasive, feasible, and safe procedure that can improve urinary condition in as a second line therapy.

Duloxetine for mild to moderate postprostatectomy incontinence: preliminary results of a randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Duloxetine is effective in the management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women but has been poorly evaluated in the treatment of SUI following radical prostatectomy (RP). OBJECTIVE: To establish the superiority of duloxetine over placebo in SUI after RP. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We conducted a prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, monocentric superiority trial. After a placebo run-in period of 2 wk, patients with SUI after RP were randomised to receive either 80mg of duloxetine daily or matching placebo for 3 mo. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome measure was the relative variation in incontinence episodes frequency (IEF) at the end of study compared to baseline. Secondary outcomes included quality of life (QoL) measures (Incontinence Impact Questionnaire Short Form [IIQ-SF], Urogenital Distress Inventory Short Form [UDI-SF], Incontinence Quality of Life [I-QoL]), symptom scores (Urinary Symptom Profile [USP] questionnaire, International Consultation on Incontinence/World Health Organisation Short Form questionnaire [ICIQ-SF], the Beck Depression Inventory [BDI-II] questionnaire), 1-h pad test, and assessment of adverse events. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Thirty-one patients were randomised to either the treatment (n=16) or control group (n=15). Reduction in IEF was significant with duloxetine compared to placebo (mean±standard deviation [SD] variation: -52.2%±38.6 [range: -100 to +46] vs +19.0%±43.5 [range: -53 to +104]; mean difference: 71.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI] for the difference: 41.0-101.4; p<0.0001). IIQ-SF total score, UDI-SF total score, SUI subscore of the USP questionnaire, and question 3 of the ICIQ-SF questionnaire showed improvement in the duloxetine group (p=0.006, p=0.02, p=0.0004, and p=0.003, respectively). Both treatments were well tolerated throughout the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Duloxetine is effective in the treatment of incontinence symptoms and improves QoL in patients with SUI after RP.

Midterm prospective evaluation of TVT-Secur reveals high failure rate.

BACKGROUND: TVT-Secur has been described as a new minimally invasive sling for women's stress urinary incontinence (SUI) management, showing promising results in short-term studies. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to evaluate the outcome of this procedure after a midterm follow-up. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A prospective evaluation involved 45 consecutive patients presenting SUI associated with urethral hypermobility. Fourteen patients preoperatively reported overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms, but none had objective detrusor overactivity. Eight patients had low maximal urethral closure pressure (MUCP). Four patients had pelvic organ prolapse (POP). INTERVENTION: Patients with POP were treated under general anesthesia by Prolift and TVT-Secur procedure. The 41 other patients received TVT-Secur under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. All interventions were made by the same surgeon. MEASUREMENTS: Postoperative assessment included pad count, bladder diary, clinical examination with stress test, evaluation of satisfaction with the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale, and evaluation of side effects. Patients were classified as cured if they used no pads, had no leakage, and had a PGI-I score < or = 2; as improved in case of reduction of SUI symptoms >50% and PGI-I score < or = 3; and as failure otherwise. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Mean postoperative follow-up was 30.2 +/- 9.8 mo (range: 11-40 mo). Short-term evaluation showed a 93.5% success rate, but, at last follow-up, only 18 (40%) patients were cured, while 8 (18%) were improved, and 19 (42%) failed. Twelve patients underwent implantation of TVT or transobturator tape during follow-up. Age, MUCP, or OAB were not associated with failure. Side effects were limited to five cases of de novo OAB and three cases of urinary tract infection. This work is limited by the absence of a comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience shows that despite its good short-term efficacy, TVT-Secur is associated with a high recurrence rate of SUI. Therefore, TVT-Secur does not seem appropriate for SUI first-line management in women.

The AdVance transobturator male sling for postprostatectomy incontinence: clinical results of a prospective evaluation after a minimum follow-up of 6 months.

BACKGROUND: Transobturator male slings have been proposed to manage stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after prostatic surgery, but data are still lacking. OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and prospectively evaluate the clinical outcome after management of SUI after prostatic surgery by placement of a transobturator male sling. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We conducted a prospective evaluation on 102 patients treated in a single center between 2007 and 2009 for mild to moderate SUI following prostatic surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Placement of a suburethral transobturator sling and clinical follow-up. MEASUREMENTS: Patients were evaluated by medical history, preoperative urodynamics, maximum flow rate measurement, 24-h pad test, and daily pad use. During follow-up, data on patients' pad use, complications, and answers to the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) questionnaire were collected. Cure was defined as no pad usage or one pad for security reasons and improvement as reduction of pads≥50%. Median follow-up was 13 mo (range: 6-26). RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Most patients (95%) presented post-radical prostatectomy incontinence (PRPI). Hospital stay was 2 d in 97 cases, and all patients were catheterized for 24h except two (48 h). Of 102 patients, 64 were cured, 18 were improved, and 20 were not improved. According to the PGI-I questionnaire, 85%, 11%, and 4% of patients described a respectively better, unchanged, and worse urinary tract condition, respectively. Previous radiation was associated with higher rate of failure (p=0.039). Neither severe complication nor postoperative urinary obstruction was noted during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Placement of a transobturator sling is a safe and effective procedure, giving durable results after >1 yr of follow-up. Further evaluation and high-quality controlled, randomized studies are needed to assess long-term efficacy and precise indications of this procedure for post-prostatic-surgery SUI management.

Urinary incontinence in French women: prevalence, risk factors, and impact on quality of life.

BACKGROUND: The lack of epidemiologic data on the prevalence of female urinary incontinence (UI) attending general practitioners (GPs) in France led us to conduct a cross-sectional study in our country. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of UI and to assess its impact on the quality of life (QoL). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study of women aged >18 yr was conducted by attending GPs between June 2007 and July 2007. MEASUREMENTS: The main outcome measures were urinary symptoms, functional impairment, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form score, and medical care seeking. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Overall, 241 GPs enrolled 2183 women seen during 1 d. The prevalence of UI was 26.8% (n=584) and increased with age, body mass index (BMI), and number of children delivered (p<0.0001). Among women with UI, 496 were included in a cross-sectional survey: 45.2% (n=224) had stress UI, 42.1% (n=209) had mixed UI, and 10.9% (n=53) had urge UI, while 2% (n=10) had UI of indeterminate type. Overall, 288 of 496 women (51.8%) stated that UI had a negative impact on their QoL; this effect remained mostly mild or moderate, and only 197 of 496 women (39.7%) had asked for medical help. Longer duration of symptoms, higher frequency of comorbid urinary symptoms, and altered QoL were most frequent among women with mixed UI (p<0.001). Misclassification may have occurred because the diagnosis of UI was based on self-reported data rather than on clinical or urodynamic examinations. CONCLUSIONS: UI symptoms were found in almost one in four women attending GPs. Clinical and functional UI impairment were associated with age, BMI, and parity. UI caused distress to women, but only those who were severely affected sought help. The results emphasize the need for policy development for UI prevention and management in France.

The safety of the inside-out transobturator approach for transvaginal tape (TVT-O) treatment in stress urinary incontinence: French registry data on 984 women.

This study examines the safety of the inside-out transobturator approach for transvaginal tape (TVT-O, Gynaecare) treatment in stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women based on a French registry of patients. A total of 984 women from 86 centres were enrolled in the study. Patients with predominant overactive bladder or significant pelvic organ prolapse were excluded from the study. Perioperative and post-operative complications were reported as well as urinary function at 4 and 12 weeks. Pain was assessed by the patients using a visual analog scale (VAS). The overall perioperative complication rate was 2.2%. The most commonly reported morbidities were vaginal wall perforation (1.3%) followed by haematoma (0.7%). Post-operative complication rate was 5.2%; the most common complication was residual pain (2.7%). The other complications of paravesical haematoma, urinary retention, vaginal erosion and re-intervention had an incidence of less than 1.0%. This study demonstrates that the transobturator transvaginal tape approach to the treatment of SUI is a safe procedure.

Objective and subjective cure rates after trans-obturator tape (OBTAPE) treatment of female urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVE(S): To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a thermally bonded nonwoven polypropylene mesh in a transobturator suburethral tape procedure (OBTAPE), Mentor-Porges, Le Plessis Robinson, France) for women with stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: Between January 2003 and January 2005, 129 consecutive women (mean age 57.2 years) underwent OBTAPE) in two academic centers. All the patients had stress urinary incontinence preoperatively. Detrusor instability was ruled out by cystometry. The women were evaluated 1, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. The objective cure rate was evaluated by clinical examination and the subjective cure rate was assessed using the KHQ and BFLUTS questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 17.2+/-4.7 months (range 4 to 28 months). The objective and subjective cure rates were respectively 89.9% and 77.5%. Most of the patients received general anesthesia (85.3%). Urinary retention was observed in two women (1.5%), necessitating tape adjustment. Voiding difficulties were observed in 7 cases (5.4%) necessitating intermittent self-catheterization for 4.2+/-2.4 days (range 1 to 7 days). Seven patients developed vaginal erosion (one with vaginal extrusion, and two with an obturator abscess). Complete mesh removal was necessary in 6 patients, four of whom had recurrent stress urinary incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the OBTAPE) is an effective treatment for women with stress urinary incontinence. However, vaginal mesh erosion occurred in 6.2% of women, and this implies the need for careful follow-up.

[Intraurethral injections of Zuidex: evaluation of the morbidity of the technique in the treatment of female urinary incontinence]. / Injections endo-urétrales de Zuidex: évaluation de la morbidité de la technique dans le traitement de l'incontinence urinaire de la femme.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and morbidity of intraurethral injections of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid (Zuidex), performed under local anaesthesia as an outpatient procedure in the treatment of female urinary incontinence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty one patients with a mean age of 67 years (range: 29-93 years) presenting urinary incontinence related to sphincter incompetence were treated by intraurethral injection of Zuidex. Injections were performed with the Implacer system provided with the product under local anaesthesia. RESULTS: For nine of these patients (43%), a second injection after 6 weeks was performed due to an insufficient result on incontinence. A total of 30 injections were therefore performed. No significant problem was observed during the injections. Three injections (10%) were difficult because of a short urethra. In 7 cases (23%), the patient reported pain during the injection. In 3 cases (10%), macroscopic haematuria was observed after treatment and another 4 cases (13%) developed lower urinary tract infection. Six patients (20%) developed transient acute urinary retention with resumption of micturition after 24 to 48 hours. CONCLUSION: Intraurethral injection of Zuidex has the advantage of being minimally invasive and can be performed under local anaesthesia, as an outpatient procedure, with good safety and a low complication rate. Resumption of spontaneous voiding must be monitored in view of the risk of urinary retention. The long-term results have not yet been evaluated.

A French multicenter clinical trial of SPARC for stress urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the SPARC procedure in women with genuine stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: We conducted a prospective multicenter trial of a suprapubic approach to suburethral polypropylene (SPARC) taping for the treatment of genuine stress urinary incontinence. Between June 2001 and June 2002, 104 consecutive women (mean age 58.7 years) underwent SPARC in three centers. All the women had urethral hypermobility preoperatively. Detrusor instability was ruled out by cystometry. The women were evaluated 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. The objective cure rate was evaluated by clinical and urodynamic examination, and the subjective cure rate was assessed using the Kings and Bristol questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 11.9+/-1.9 months (range 8 to 20 months). The mean operating time was 30 min (25-50 min). Most of the patients received general anesthesia (48%). The overall complication rate was 44.2% (46/104). The perioperative complication rate was 10.5%, including 11 bladder injuries. A significant difference in the bladder injury rate was observed between women with and without previous incontinence surgery (respectively 4/11, 36.3% versus 7/93, 7.5%; p<0.001). No hemorrhaging occurred. The early postoperative complication rate was 22.1%. The main complication was voiding disorders (11 patients), which necessitated intermittent self-catheterization for less than 15 days (1.3+/-1.1 days, range 1 to 10 days). The late postoperative complication rate was 11.5%, including de novo urge symptoms in 12 women. The objective cure rate was 90.4%. No difference was found between patients with genuine stress incontinence and those with mixed incontinence. The subjective cure rate was 72%. The objective and subjective cure rates differed significantly (p<0.05). The subjective cure rate among patients with de novo urge symptoms was 58%. CONCLUSION: The SPARC procedure is a safe and effective treatment for women with stress urinary incontinence, despite a high incidence of de novo urge symptoms.

Results of the tension-free vaginal tape technique in the elderly.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the results of the Tension-Free Vaginal Tape (TVT) technique for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in the elderly. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 1998 and February 2001, 76 consecutive women more than 70 years old (median 76) and presenting with SUI were operated with the TVT technique. 28.9% (22/76) of the patients had previous surgery for SUI. 31% (24/76) of the patients had an overactive bladder and 4 patients had detrusor instability controlled by anticholinergic therapy. All patients had preoperative multichanel urodynamic evaluation. RESULTS: No serious complication was noted intra- or postoperatively. At a mean follow up of 24.6 months (range 16-49 months), 67% of the patients were cured (51/76). Among the failures, 10 patients (13.7%) had persistent SUI, 14 patients (18.4%) had urge incontinence and 2 patients were lost to follow up. De novo urgency without incontinence was noticed in 21% of the patients but preoperative urgency symptoms were cured in 46% of the patients. Overall 82% of the patients were satisfied with the result of the surgery, 14% considered the result as incomplete and 4% considered they were worsened by surgery. CONCLUSION: The TVT procedure is safe and efficient to treat SUI in the elderly population even if the rate of de novo urgency appeared to be significant.

Complications of urethral sling procedures.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the current literature on complications of suburethral slings used to treat stress urinary incontinence in the female. RECENT FINDINGS: The surgical treatment of female urinary incontinence has changed considerably since the development of the tension-free vaginal tape procedure, introduced by Ulmsten in 1995. As the follow-up for the first studies is now more than 5 years, the 'long-term' results of the technique can be evaluated. Furthermore, now that the learning phase has been completed and the technique can be considered to be well mastered, it is interesting to review the complications inherent in this technique, their frequency, including those rarer complications that are sometimes associated with severe morbidity, and to consider the ways in which these complications can be prevented or treated. The development of the tension-free vaginal tape procedure has not prevented the development of other types of suburethral sling, but on the contrary, has promoted the development of these alternatives by the use of various sling insertion techniques, and especially various types of materials. There has even been a renewed interest in materials that have been known for a long time (heterologous and autologous materials) in some recent papers, and new synthetic suburethral slings have been proposed with the objectives of combining low morbidity, safety and efficacy. SUMMARY: Monofilament polypropylene meshes can be used safely to perform suburethral slings and seems to be the most suitable material in this indication according to the existing literature.

Prospective evaluation of genetic abnormalities and telomerase expression in exfoliated urinary cells for bladder cancer detection.

PURPOSE: To evaluate alternative procedures to cytoscopic examination we prospectively compared noninvasive procedures for detecting bladder cancer namely cytology, loss of heterozygosity (LOH), microsatellite instability and human telomerase catalytic subunit reverse transcriptase (hTERT) messenger (m) RNA detection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Specificity and cutoff values were established in the blood and urine sediment of 50 controls. Sensitivity was analyzed in the urine and tissue samples of 50 patients with bladder cancer. The diagnosis was established by cystoscopic and histological examination. Genomic alterations were studied using a panel of 24 microsatellite markers to detect LOH events, while 3 additional mononucleotide repeats were analyzed for microsatellite instability detection. Telomerase expression was detected in urinary cells by nested RT-polymerase chain reaction amplification of hTERT mRNA. All techniques were compared by cytological examination. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity were 31% and 100% for cytological testing, 96% and 100% for LOH, and 75% and 69% for RT-polymerase chain reaction of hTERT, respectively. No alteration was detected on microsatellite instability analysis in urine or tumor tissue cells. Using only the 5 markers most strongly associated with bladder cancer selected by logistic regression analysis, namely ABL1, IFNa, D9S12, MJD58 and D18S364, LOH test sensitivity slightly decreased to 90%. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary LOH analysis was the most sensitive and specific method for bladder cancer detection and it appeared less dependent on urine sediment quality. The logistic regression score may be an interesting complement to cystoscopy. The specificity of hTERT mRNA detection was incomplete since false-positives were observed in 31% of cases. Absent microsatellite instability in our cohort showed that these genomic alterations are not present at the early step of bladder cancer.