The fate of synthetic mid-urethral slings in 2013: A turning point

Stress Urinary Incontinence: Slings, Single-Incision Slings, and Nonmesh Approaches

Synthetic midurethral slings offer optimal cure rates for the minimally invasive treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women. Performed via a retropubic or transobturator technique, midurethral sling approaches demonstrate comparable efficacy, with unique adverse event profiles. Single incision slings were introduced to minimize the complication of groin pain with full-length transobturator slings and enhance operative recovery. The earliest therapies for stress urinary incontinence including urethral bulking, retropubic colposuspension, and autologous sling offer alternative methods of surgical management without using synthetic mesh. These methods boast satisfactory efficacy with low rates of complications, and may be ideal for appropriately selected patients.