Since the 1990s the bladder sling has been the most common surgical device
used to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI), which primarily occurs in
women. SUI is explained as the accidental loss of urine which can be triggered
by physical activities such as laughing and sneezing, it is uncommon in men.The
reason for this, experts say, is because the urethra, which is the tube that
carries urine out of the body, is usually a lot smaller in women (2 inches)
than men (10 inches). Other conditions that may also contribute to SUI can be
the stresses of child birth, pregnancy, and even ageing.When the bladder sling
operation goes successful the patient’s life also gets better
.
On the market there are several different types of bladder slings available
to patients.The following are the more commonly used ones:
• Tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) sling: This outpatient procedure uses a
polypropylene mesh tape for the sling under the urethra that is held in place
by the patient’s body rather than stitches.
• Transobturator tape (TOT or TVT-O) sling: This tension-free surgery is
less invasive than TVT because there is no need to blindly pass a large needle
through the retropubic space when inserting the mesh tape. It was invented in
France and brought to the United States in 2002.
• Mini-sling: The Mini Sling further improves the previous two procedures by
eliminating the need for incisions in both the stomach and groin. Instead of
groin and abdominal incisions, a metallic inserter and vaginal incisions are
used. This type of procedure was just recently invented in 2006.
Usually these devices are generally safe in patients, however bladder slings
have been known to cause some serious side effects. Earlier in 2008, the United
States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public safety warning caused
by the growing number of concerns about complications associated bladder slings
and especially devices which insert mesh transvaginally. The warning states
that “The FDA is alerting healthcare professionals about rare but serious
complications associated with the surgical mesh used to treat pelvic organ
prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. The mesh is usually placed
transvaginally using minimally invasive techniques.” Also said in the warning
that the main reason for it’s issuance was to “Inform patients about the
potential for serious complications and their effect on quality of life,
including scarring and pain during sexual intercourse. Patients should also be
informed that implantation of surgical mesh is permanent, and that some
complications associated with the mesh may require additional surgery that may
or may not correct the problem.”
Bladder slings still remain a popular choice for treatment for conditions
such as SUI, however there has been an increasing amount of complaints by
patients who have suffered serious side effects from the devices. It is best to
talk to a doctor before using bladder slings for condition.
URL References:
accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/psn/printer.cfm?id=928
