Abstract
Advances in synthetic slings using a variety of surgical approaches during the last decade have left surgeons confused as to which procedure may be the most beneficial for the incontinent female. Using PubMed, MEDLINE and manual searches, we reviewed bibliographic databases from 1995 to the present day focusing on the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) by synthetic slings. A total of 69 articles were reviewed that discussed a variety of surgical approaches, efficacy and complications involved with treating SUI via synthetic slings. It was observed that there were three overlapping eras of synthetic sling treatments based on the type of surgical approach utilized, retropubic, transobturator and single incision. Each advancement during the last decade has attempted to address complications observed in earlier treatment options. Some have introduced unexpected and unforeseen consequences, such as unwanted tissue perforations in the retropubic approach, occasional groin pain in the transobturator approach and unknown long-term efficacy (due to its most recent market introduction) with the latest single-incision slings. We conclude that the surgical treatment options for female SUI using synthetic slings have changed dramatically in the last 10 years. The search for improved treatments with shorter surgical time, decreased patient complications and long-term efficacy will continue.
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.