Risk factors for mesh complications after trocar guided transvaginal mesh kit repair of anterior vaginal wall prolapse.

AIMS: To identify risk factors for mesh exposures after anterior pelvic organ prolapse repair using a standardized trocar guided polypropylene mesh kit. METHODS: A secondary risk analysis combining patients from two prospective multicenter studies. Main outcome was clinical host-vs-implant reactions one year after surgery using a macroscopic inflammatory scale. RESULTS: 353 patients were included in the study. Mean age at surgery was 65.3 (± 9.6 SD) years and surgery was performed as a primary procedure in 224/353 (63.5%) patients. Mesh exposures, of which the majority were mild-moderate, occurred in a total of 30/349 patients (8.6%). Multivariate logistic regression showed increased odds for mesh exposures for women who smoked before surgery (OR 3.48, 95% CI 1.18-10.28), who had given birth to more than two children (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.07-6.51) and those with somatic inflammatory disease (OR 5.11, 95% CI 1.17-22.23). Age, body mass index, and menopausal status showed no significant association with clinical mesh exposures. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking, multiple childbirth, and somatic inflammatory disease are possible risk factors for mesh exposure after trocar guided mesh kit surgery for anterior pelvic organ prolapse. Preoperative smoking cessation may decrease the risk for exposures.

Treatment of stress urinary incontinence using a copolymer system: impact on quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect on quality of life (QoL) of a novel system for treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In an open, prospective, multicentre study, 42 women not previously treated by invasive therapy and with urodynamically verified SUI received 4 x 1.0 mL or 4 x 0.7 mL of non-animal stabilized hyaluronic acid/dextranomer copolymer injected transurethrally into the urethra via the Implacer device (Zuidex system, Q-Med AB, Uppsala, Sweden). QoL was assessed using the King's Health Questionnaire. The patients' perception of treatment benefit and the number of incontinence episodes/24 h were also investigated. RESULTS: There were significant improvements over baseline in seven of 10 domains of the King's Health Questionnaire at 3 months, and these improvements were sustained at 1 year. For the change from baseline to 1 year, eight of 10 domains showed a significant positive correlation with the number of incontinence episodes/24 h. In terms of treatment benefit, most of the women perceived an improvement at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Of the 18 women requiring re-treatment, most perceived an improvement at 3, 6 and 12 months. CONCLUSION: Treatment with the Zuidex system produced significant improvements over a year in both subjective QoL and objective incontinence measures, with a significant positive correlation between them.

Efficacy and safety of a novel system (NASHA/Dx copolymer using the Implacer device) for treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy and safety of non-animal-stabilized hyaluronic acid/dextranomer (NASHA/Dx) copolymer for transurethral injection using a new guiding instrument (the Implacer) for stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: In an open, prospective, multicenter study, 42 invasive therapy-naive female patients with stress urinary incontinence were given 4 x 1.0 mL or 4 x 0.7 mL of NASHA/Dx copolymer using the Implacer. The efficacy parameters, measured at baseline and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment, included cough-induced leak point pressure, urine leakage by provocation test, number of incontinence episodes in 24 hours, and patient perception of bladder condition, rated on a 6-point scale. RESULTS: The collected cough-induced leak point pressure data were not judged to be valid and reliable. Statistically significant reductions in median urine leakage were observed (P <0.0001), from 36 g (range 0.0-300) after 20 "jumping jacks" or vigorous coughs at baseline to 5.5 g (range 0.0-98) at 3 months and sustained at 12 months (7.0 g, range 0.0-98). Of the 42 patients, 32 (76%) demonstrated a degree of improvement in urine leakage at 3 and 12 months. The median number of incontinence episodes in 24 hours decreased significantly from 1.9 (range 0.0-24) at baseline to 0.4 (range 0.0-24) at 12 months (P <0.0001). At both 3 and 12 months, 29 patients (69%) had improved by at least one category on the 6-point patient perception scale. Treatment was well tolerated, and no complications were reported with use of the Implacer. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that a novel system (NASHA/Dx copolymer insertion using the Implacer) is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for invasive therapy-naive patients with stress urinary incontinence, with improvement sustained for at least 12 months. These encouraging results warrant additional study.

Changes in urinary incontinence and quality of life after four years. A population-based study of women aged 22-50 years.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate (a) the incidence and remission rates of female urinary incontinence (UI), (b) changes in type of UI and quality of life (QoL), and (c) whether professional help had been consulted regarding UI. DESIGN: A 4-year follow-up population-based cohort study. SETTING: Surahammar, Sweden, a community of 10,500 inhabitants. SUBJECTS: All 118 incontinent and 130 continent women aged between 22 and 50 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in type of UI were measured using the Detrusor Instability Score (DIS), which was used to distinguish between the stress incontinent and the urge incontinent women. Changes in QoL were measured using the SF-36 Health Survey. RESULTS: The mean annual incidence and remission rates of UI were the same (4%). The majority of women (83%) reported unchanged UI after 4 years and 77% of these women had stress incontinence. At follow-up, the changes in QoL scores were significantly greater in five out of eight dimensions in the persistently incontinent group compared with the persistently continent group. QoL scores did not change significantly from baseline to the 4-year follow-up within the incidence and remission groups. Three of four women with UI had not sought professional help. CONCLUSIONS: At 4-year follow-up the type of UI is fairly stable in women below 50 years of age. The QoL decreases in five dimensions, but the clinical relevance of this might be questioned. Most women with UI had not sought professional help.

Reasons why women with long-term urinary incontinence do not seek professional help: a cross-sectional population-based cohort study.

The aims of this study were to investigate the reasons why some women with long-term urinary incontinence (UI) seek professional help whereas others do not, their experiences and satisfactions with the healthcare services, and how women deal with their incontinence. In total, 95 women aged 23-51 years with persistent UI (median 10 years, range 6-20 years) were included in this telephone interview survey. Seventy-four percent of the women with long-term UI had not sought help. The most common reason given was that the disorder was considered a minor problem, which they felt they could cope with on their own. When women did consult professional help they did so because they were afraid of the odor of urine and that they perceived the leakage as shameful and embarrassing. These women felt that the healthcare service offered appropriate care for their condition. Pelvic floor exercises were the most commonly used management methods for all participants.

Treatment of stress urinary incontinence: recent developments in the role of urethral injection.

Stress urinary incontinence is prevalent in adult women and has a considerable impact on quality of life. However, it often remains undiagnosed and therefore untreated. Non-invasive treatment is likely to be offered in mild cases and may entail physiotherapy, minimally invasive devices or pharmacotherapy. Surgical intervention is widely considered as the only effective option for more severe cases. These strategies are not suitable for all patients, and urethral injection represents an alternative, minimally invasive procedure. The choice of the bulking agent is the key to the success of this treatment: the most extensively studied are silicone, polytetrafluoroethylene and bovine collagen. However, doubts regarding the safety and efficacy of these materials has led to the development of carbon-coated zirconium beads, calcium hydroxylapatite and dextranomer/hyaluronic acid (Dx/HA) copolymer. Of these, the most clinical experience has been gained with Dx/HA copolymer. Until 2 years ago, urethral injection could only be administered endoscopically. The recent development of devices for 'blind' injection has increased the speed and convenience of urethral injection, removing the need for surgical facilities. Although few data are yet available, it is conceivable that urethral injection administered 'blind' may in future be considered as an option for all patients failing non-invasive treatment.