Abstract
Over 200 million people worldwide suffer from urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence in women occurs frequently from middle age onward and is associated with a reduced quality of life. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is leakage of urine during sneezing, coughing, physical exercise, lifting, bending or even changing positions. These are all events that cause an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. SUI occurs when bladder pressure exceeds urethral pressure, in the setting of sudden increases of intra-abdominal forces. SUI affects upward of 40% of American women. The placement of the midurethral sling theoretically corrects inadequate urethral support. After a thorough understanding of potential complications, a patient may benefit from this safe and effective procedure that can improve a woman’s quality of life.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.
Key issues
• Midurethral slings are used to surgically treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
• The evaluation of SUI must be thorough prior to surgical management.
• Complications are rare and can often be managed at the time of surgery.
• Urgency incontinence may occur after surgical treatment of SUI.
• Many studies have been conducted to demonstrate the efficacy of midurethral slings.