Experience of Suburethral Patch Sling Using Fascia Lata for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence

Kim, Joong Keun; Kwon, Heun Young

Abstract

PURPOSE: Various surgical approaches have been used for stress urinary incontinence. We used a suburethral patch sling operation using fascia lata for all patients with stress urinary incontinence and report our experience.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From November, 1996 to May, 1997, a total of 25 female patients with stress urinary incontinence underwent the sling procedure, and 22 patients were followed up postoperatively. A 1.5- x 3.5- cm rectangle of fascia lata was used with 1-0 prolene sutures attached to allow suspension and the fascia lata patch was fastened at the level of the bladder neck in the anterior vaginal wall. We used the Stamey needle to transfer the suspension sutures in a fashion identical to that used for bladder neck suspension. Median followup was 22 months(range 20 to 26).
RESULTS
Mean age was 47.1 years and mean parity was 3.1. According to the symptom grading system by Stamey, grade I was 77.3%(17), grade II 18.2%(4), and grade III 4.5%(1). Valsalva leak point pressure was 60cmH2O or less in 27.3%(6), 61 to 90cmH2O in 27.3%(6), and more than 90cmH2O in 45.4%(10). Mean operation time was 124.0minutes and mean duration of postoperative indwelling catheter was 4.2 days. Among 22 patients, 18 patients(81.8%) were cured, 3(13.6%) improved, and 1(4.5%) failed. No statistically significant relationship existed between either symptom grade or VLPP and success rate, but maybe it would be due to low number of patients to be compared. Two patients(9.1%) with grade I suffered from prolonged voiding difficulty and they catheterized intermittently for 30 days and 64 days respectively before normal voiding. De novo urge incontinence developed in 1 patients(4.5%). Other minor complications were urinay tract infection(4 cases), weak stream(3 cases), bladder irritative symptom(2 cases), deviation of urine stream(2 cases), prolonged suprapubic pain(1 case), prolonged thigh pain(1 case), and dyspareunia(1 case).
CONCLUSIONS
The suburethral patch sling operation using fascia lata was considered another useful option for the patients with stress urinary incontinence who want autologous tissue for sling material but can not use rectus fascia due to medical condition or previous abdominal operation or irradiation.