Description

Women presenting to our tertiary urogynecology clinic with stress urinary incontinence symptoms based on their answers to PFDI-20 questionnaire and deciding to proceed with surgical treatment of SUI will be invited to participate in this study. Baseline screening will include our standard clinical pathway, which includes symptom review and standard questionnaires, standard vaginal and, urodynamic study and 3D pelvic floor ultrasound. If clinical and ultrasound imaging findings are consistent with SUI in setting of normal urethral closure pressure but lack of urethral support that is state of the art indication for mid-urethral sling procedure, patients will be offered this mesh-reduced mini-sling mesh-reduced sling for treating their condition.

For patients expressing interest, the study procedures and consent will be reviewed during this office visit. Consent will be signed at the following pre-op visit. This study will involve no additional pre-operative tests or questionnaires, beyond our routine clinical pathway for women presenting with SUI with or without pelvic prolapse.

Surgical method Patients participating in this study will undergo standard preoperative and peri-operative care, and anesthetic and pain management care, identical than that which occurs for any pelvic reconstructive surgery within our division. Coexisting pelvic prolapse repairs such as cystocele and rectocele repair, with or without hysterectomy, will be performed per routine.

For treating SUI, the dissection will be completely identical to mid-urethral sling. The difference will be instead of passing the mesh through the tunnels on each side of urethra and exiting through rectus fascia, the investigators will use a ¾ x ⅜ inch polypropylene mesh and place it under the mid urethral. This mesh will be suspended by two suspending permanent sutures on each side to the pubic rami periosteum. At this point sutures will be tied down and the vaginal skin closed with a 2-0 vicryl suture.

Postoperative care This procedure entails no additional or specific post-operative activity limitations or care in comparison to the existing baseline pelvic organ prolapse surgeries. The investigators anticipate that all patients will be discharged from the hospital consistent with normal patterns, either on the same day of surgery or after a brief hospital stay, depending on the meeting of postoperative milestones and discharge criteria.

Follow up Patients will return to the office for postoperative visits at 2 weeks, 2 months, and 12 months after surgery. During the 2-month and 12 month follow-up visits, a vaginal exam and pelvic floor ultrasound will be performed to evaluate healing and urethral motion.