Concerns about vaginal mesh have reduced the use of mid-urethral slings (MUS) in some countries. In view of their potential withdrawal in Belgium and The Netherlands, we polled urogynaecologists on their practice for treating stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and what their experience is with alternative procedures, and we asked them how their patients perceive the risk and success rates.
A survey among members of the pelvic floor special interest group of the Flemish Society for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Belgian Association of Urology and Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Their primary procedure of choice is the MUS (99%). Sixty-five per cent performs at least 25 MUS yearly; they report high success (90%; IQR [85-92]) and low adverse outcome rates. Physicians anticipate complications as reported in the literature: 5% (IQR [410]) overactive bladder, 5% (IQR [2-10]) voiding problems, 2% (IQR [15]) exposures, 2% (IQR [1-5]) dyspareunia and 1% (IQR [1-3]) chronic pain. Eighty-five per cent of physicians report their patients express fears about having a MUS though usually they cannot precisely tell why. Reportedly they tell their physicians of concerns about pain (54%), exposure (45%), dyspareunia (25%), voiding problems (15%) or overactive bladder (8%). Only half of respondents had ever performed a colposuspension. The majority of these were older and performed colposuspension via laparotomy. Only six (4%) had performed > 20 colposuspensions yearly.
Dutch and Belgian urogynaecologists estimate success and adverse effect rates of MUS in line with the literature. Their patients most cited worries were fear of chronic pain and exposure. Only half of respondents had ever performed a colposuspension. They were older and performed the procedure via laparotomy.
International urogynecology journal. 2019 Dec 17 [Epub ahead of print]
An-Sofie D'hulster, Susanne Housmans, Wilbert Spaans, Frank Van der Aa, Koen Slabbaert, Alfred L Milani, Jan Deprest
Faculty of Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. ., Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium., Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands., Department of Development and Regeneration, Cluster Urogenital, Abdominal and Plastic Surgery, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium., Department of Urology, RZ Tienen, Tienen, Belgium., Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis, Delft, The Netherlands.