Vaginal Wall Sling for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence: Efficacy and Outcome Analysis

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and clinical outcome of vaginal wall sling in the management of women with stress urinary incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 37 patients with stress urinary incontinence underwent vaginal wall sling procedure by a single surgeon from January 1998 to December 2001. All patients were evaluated preoperatively with detailed history, physical examination, urinalysis, abdominal ultrasonography, Q-tip test and stress provocation test. The 4 sutures comprising vaginal wall sling (two at the level of mid-urethral complex and two at the level of bladder neck) provide a rectangle of support and compression from the bladder neck to the mid-urethra. The efficacy and clinical outcomes of this procedure were evaluated. RESULTS: With a mean follow-up of 19.2 months(5 to 46 months), 30 patients(81%) failed. Mean operation time was 63.3 minutes. Mean duration of indwelling catheter was 5.2 days and mean duration of hospitalization was 7.2 days. One patient(2.7%) suffered from prolonged voiding difficulty for 30 days. One patient(2.7%) had postoperative bleeding necessitating blood transfusion. De novo urge incontinence developed in 3 patients(8.1%). Other transient minor complications were urinary tract infection(13 cases), suprapubic discomfort(5 cases), and urgency(4 cases). CONCLUSIONS: We consider that vaginal wall sling is a simple and effective procedure for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence, though longer follow-up is necessary to assess the long term effect.