Feel Secure with Midurethral Slings for Stress Urinary Incontinence
One of the most successful treatments for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the use of a mid-urethral sling (MUS). Related treatments are called transobturator tape (TOT) or transvaginal tape (TVT). Around the world, more than 3 million women who have had SUI and experienced leakage while laughing, coughing or exercising, have had the procedure. Success rates approach 90 percent.
To correct the problem, J. Kyle Mathews, MD, and his team create a small incision in the vaginal wall below the urethra to begin the procedure. Dr. Mathews places a half-inch-wide strip of polypropylene mesh or natural tissue, such as muscle, ligament or tendon tissue, between the urethra and vagina for additional support. The ends are secured with sutures that eventually are absorbed by the body.
Is a Midurethral Sling Safe?
This technique, first used in Europe in the early 1990s and later introduced in the United States in 1998 to treat SUI, has been studied in patients for almost two decades. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers it safe and effective. Many women have read about complications of “transvaginal mesh” in the media or have seen television ads by law firms and worry about the effectiveness of this treatment or about its complications. What has been causing concern relates to vaginal prolapse procedures using mesh – not midurethral slings for SUI. Used in an entirely different way, vaginal prolapse mesh corrects a vaginal bulge, such as a cystocele, rectocele or dropped uterus. Vaginal prolapse mesh is larger and is placed in a different location from the MUS mesh used for SUI. There is no evidence that any women have developed cancer or other diseases as a result of a MUS. Of course, as with any surgery, there are rare times when complications from MUS surgery could occur.
A Simple Solution for a Difficult Problem
Many women, and some men, limit their interaction with others or stay home because they are embarrassed about SUI. But midurethral sling surgery can provide freedom from self-imposed limitations. This minimally invasive procedure is often performed in our Plano urogyn office on an outpatient basis.
Recovery from the 20-minute procedure is quick, and patients usually leave the hospital after voiding. At rare times, some patients may stay overnight. Patients will be able to eat, drink, walk on their own, manage small stairs and perform other light duties immediately after discharge. Dr. J. Kyle Mathews recommends that you wait a week or two before returning to work. Avoid lifting heavy items for two months, and wait a month before having sexual relations.
If you live in the Dallas, Plano, Frisco or surrounding area and experience stress incontinence, don’t let it control your life. A urogyn has the advanced training to effectively diagnose and treat complex and commonplace problems that affect millions of women. Contact the Plano urogyn practice of Dr. J.Kyle Mathews at (972) 781-1444 for a consultation about a mid-urethral sling
