Autologous pubovaginal sling for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after two or more failed synthetic midurethral sling

Objective: To determine efficacy and safety of salvage autologous pubovaginal sling (PVS) placement after a two or more failed synthetic midurethral sling.

Methods: Women undergoing autologous PVS placement for two or more failed synthetic MUS between 2008 and 2019 were identified. Those patients were conducted a follow-up examination. Outcomes of surgery were assessed using the cough stress test with a full bladder and symptom questionnaire, including Incontinence Visual Analogue Scale (I-VAS) and Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) questionnaire. Surgical results were categorized into three classes: cured, improved, and failed. Secondary measures included patients' recommendation of autologous fascial sling (AFS).

Results: A total of 18 eligible patients met the criteria, of whom median age at surgery was 67 (52-74) years with a median follow-up of 80 (12-144) months. Preoperatively, all patients were identified by urodynamic test with Valsalva leak point pressure (VLPP) < 60 cmH₂O. All patients had concomitant part sling excision combined with urethrolysis at the salvage operation. At the follow-up examination, sixteen in eighteen (88.89%) patients were cured and improved. The postoperative total score and each individual domain in I-QOL improved significantly compared with the baseline (p < 0.001). Postoperative I-VAS was significantly lower than preoperative (1.3 ± 0.6 vs. 7.8 ± 2.2, p < 0.001). A total of 16 patients (88.89%) recommended the AFS to others. Neither perioperative blood transfusions nor other complications above Clavien level 3 were observed.

Conclusions: Our study indicates that autologous PVS is effective and safe in women with recurrent stress urinary incontinence after two or more failed synthetic MUS.