Urgency and urgency incontinence following stress urinary incontinence surgery: A review of evaluation and management

The impact of stress urinary incontinence procedures on bladder and voiding function: A comparison between Tension-free Vaginal Tape (TVT), autologous fascial sling (AFS) and Burch colposuspension (BC)

INTRODUCTION

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is common, affecting one-third of women [1,2]. The impact of SUI surgery on overactive bladder symptoms (OAB) is poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate the effect of SUI surgeries on bladder and voiding function.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of 100 women who underwent SUI surgery at a UK tertiary centre was conducted. Pre-operative and post-operative bladder function was assessed using validated pelvic floor questionnaires, Electronic Personal Assessment Questionnaire(ePAQ). Five domains were analysed: pain and sensation, voiding, stress incontinence, OAB, and quality of life (QoL). Domain scores were calculated and change in scores analysed using paired T-test. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare results.

RESULTS

The mean age of women was 51 years. Post-operative analysis using paired T-tests showed significant improvement in stress incontinence and quality of life(p < 0.05). OAB symptoms improved significantly following all three procedures(p < 0.05). Voiding dysfunction improved significantly following AFS surgery(p < 0.05), with non-significant improvements noted in the TVT and Burch colposuspension cohorts (p = 0.47, 0.2 respectively). The ANOVA test revealed a statistically significant difference in OAB symptoms based on the type of surgery (p = 0.013) in favour of TVT but no significant difference in other domains (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that all three SUI procedures significantly improve stress incontinence and QoL. OAB symptoms improved in all three groups; however, the type of surgery did have a statistically significant impact on symptoms. This can aid clinicians in effective patient counselling. Further research is warranted to analyse this further.

Implantation of Autologous Skeletal Muscle-Derived Cells Combined with Electrical Stimulation in Patients with Stress Urinary Incontinence

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Intrasphincteric injection of autologous skeletal muscle-derived cells (aSMDCs) is a minimally invasive treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). This study investigated two cell counts (high/low dose) for functional urethral sphincter regeneration in combination with electrical stimulation, treatment safety and efficacy, and its potential superiority to duloxetine-placebo or duloxetine.

METHODS

This phase II, placebo-controlled trial randomised women with SUI to cell implantation (low or high cell number) and to control groups (duloxetine-placebo or duloxetine), each treatment combined with electrical stimulation. The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean reduction of incontinence episode frequency (IEF) at 12 weeks post-treatment compared with baseline. Secondary efficacy parameters included 1-h pad test, visual analogue scale (VAS), Incontinence Quality of Life questionnaire, clinical global impression score and frequency of responders based on IEF. Adverse events were analysed for safety evaluation. Additional follow-up data on IEF and selected secondary efficacy variables were obtained in a sub-population of patients after 12 and 48 months.

RESULTS

The mean reduction ± SD in IEF after 12 weeks was: low cells: -16.4 ± 13.3 (61 patients), high cells: -18.5 ± 18.7 (56), placebo: -9.7 ± 13.7 (68), duloxetine -11.2 ± 19.6 (32). Cell treatments were significantly superior over placebo regarding IEF reduction and all secondary endpoints except for VAS. No safety issues were observed following cell implantation. Improvements were sustained over 12 and 48 months, with no difference between low and high cell implantation groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Therapy for SUI with aSMDCs in combination with electrical stimulation is safe, effective and sustained over at least 48 months.

Long-Term Outcomes of Restorelle® Direct Fix Anterior Mesh in the Treatment of Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and long-term outcomes of the use of Restorelle® Direct Fix (Coloplast, Humlebæk, Denmark) anterior mesh for transvaginal surgical management of anterior compartment prolapse. Methods A retrospective case series review was conducted for 123 patients who underwent surgery for Baden-Walker Grade three and four anterior compartment prolapse with the Restorelle Direct Fix anterior mesh between July 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018 in a single center. Follow-up was conducted at one, six, 12, 24, and 36 months after treatment. A standardized questionnaire and pelvic examination were conducted at each visit to assess operative complications and subjective and objective cure rates. Results Sixty patients were included in the analysis with a three-year follow-up rate of 70.0%. At three years post-operatively, subjective and objective cure rates were 97.7% and 95.3% respectively. Seven (11.7%) patients complained of de novo stress urinary incontinence, four (6.7%) complained of de novo urge urinary incontinence and one (1.7%) complained of symptomatic recurrence. Significantly, six (10.0%) patients had transvaginal mesh exposure over the three-year follow-up, mostly presenting within the first year. One (2.4%) patient developed new asymptomatic mesh erosion at the 36-month visit and one patient required mesh loosening one month post-surgery. Conclusions Management of anterior compartment prolapse with transvaginal surgery using the Restorelle® Direct Fix anterior mesh was associated with good subjective and objective cure rates. However, significant rates of post-operative mesh exposure were noted within three years post-surgery, which hinders the recommendation of this device for augmentation of repair for anterior compartment prolapse.

Evaluation of Outcomes Between the Top-down Versus the Bottom-up Approach for Retropubic Midurethral Sling

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Retropubic midurethral sling (MUS) placement is the gold standard for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in the USA. The procedure can be approached from either a top-down or a bottom-up direction, but there is a paucity of contemporary data regarding outcomes between these approaches. The aim of this study was to provide updated clinical outcomes data.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of women undergoing the retropubic MUS procedure alone or at the time of pelvic organ prolapse repair between 2010 and 2020 at a single academic medical center. The electronic medical record was used to extract demographic data, operative approach, and perioperative complications. The primary outcome was a composite incidence of any perioperative complication.

RESULTS

Of the 309 patients analyzed, 140 (45.3%) underwent top-down and 169 (54.7%) underwent bottom-up retropubic MUS placement. Patients undergoing top-down MUS placement were more likely to be older (mean age 58 vs 54, p=0.02), have a history of diabetes mellitus (20% vs 8.9%, p=0.004), and have had a prior hysterectomy (27% vs 16%, p=0.02). They were less likely to have a concurrent anterior (p<0.001) or posterior repair (p<0.001). Patients undergoing the top-down procedure were less likely to experience sling exposure (p=0.02); complications in the two groups were otherwise similar.

CONCLUSIONS

The top-down approach to retropubic MUS placement was associated with lower rates of mesh erosion in this population of patients. Neither approach is associated with an increased overall risk of complications or de novo overactive bladder symptoms.

Exploring the Challenges of Using Minimal Invasive Surgery to Treat Stress Urinary Incontinence: Insights from a Retrospective Case-Control Study

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a significant global health issue that particularly affects females, leads to notable societal and economic challenges and significantly affects the quality of life. This study focuses on the comparative analysis of two established surgical interventions, tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) and transobturator tape (TOT), at a single center and applied to 455 women suffering from SUI, with a mean follow-up period of 102 ± 30 months for TVT and 80.4 ± 13 months for TOT. Our findings indicate that, in comparison to TVT, the TOT procedure demonstrates fewer early and late post-operative complications in patient outcomes (1.41% vs. 17.64% and; 5.66% vs. 12.74%, both respectively). However, the TVT procedure shows a modestly favorable outcome in the risk of recurrence of SUI, compared to TOT (0% vs. 3.7%); the TOT procedure has also proven to be more effective in alleviating of urgency symptoms, although not at a statistically significant level (p = 0.072). Univariable and multivariable analysis of factors that predict late complications showed that only obesity can predict a worse outcome [OR]: 1.125 CI 95%: 1.105-1.533, p = 0.037), when adjustments are made for symptoms presented before surgery and procedure type. While both methods are safe and effective, the choice between them should be based on the specific characteristics of each case.

Bladder neck incompetence could be an etiology of overactive bladder syndrome in women with stress urinary incontinence after anti-incontinence surgery: insights from transrectal sonography

PURPOSE

To investigate the prevalence of bladder neck incompetence (BNI) and the anatomic differences between different types of urinary incontinence (UI) and overactive bladder (OAB) by transrectal sonography, and to investigate these differences among those with stress UI (SUI) or mixed UI (MUI) who exhibited de novo or persistent OAB symptoms following anti-incontinence surgery.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on a total of 184 patients with SUI, MUI, urge UI (UUI), or OAB dry who underwent transrectal ultrasound between 2017 and 2022. The presence of BNI and urethral incompetence assessed by transrectal ultrasound were recorded in all included patients, and recorded preoperatively and postoperatively among patients with SUI and MUI who underwent anti-incontinence surgery.

RESULTS

Among the patients, 91%, 84%, 76%, and 71% exhibited BNI in MUI, SUI, UUI, OAB dry group, respectively. Significantly higher rate of patients with BNI were found in MUI than in OAB dry group. Patients with OAB symptoms after anti-incontinence surgery exhibited significantly higher rates of BNI and urethral incompetence than those who did not have postoperative OAB symptoms. Among MUI patients with preoperative BNI, significantly lower rate of postoperative BNI and urethral incompetence was observed in individuals who had improved OAB symptoms after surgery, compared to those without improvement.

CONCLUSION

A higher BNI rate was observed in the MUI group. A significantly higher BNI rate was observed in women with OAB symptoms after anti-incontinence surgery. Patients with MUI had improved OAB symptoms if BNI was successfully corrected after anti-incontinence surgery.