Luigi Frigerio

Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 177:1426-1431; 1997
( in coll. con A. Ferrari )
Summary: We describe an alternative sling procedure that permits concomitant correction of urethral hypermobility and urinary incontinence through a single surgical exposure. Fifteen women with severe urinary stress incontinence and urethral hypermobility underwent a sling procedure by creation of a simple triangular patch from the anterior vaginal wall. The mean operative time for the vaginal sling procedure was 38 minutes (range 29 to 65 minutes) in addition to other operations. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.7 days (range 5 to 13 days) and all patients were routinely discharged with an indwelling Foley catheter. Spontaneous micturition occurred in 12 patients after a mean period of 25 days (range 13 to 36 days). In three cases long-term catherization was necessary. By subjective and objective evaluations, all the patients were cured of their stress incontinence. The triangular vaginal patch with the single sutures on each side provides an alternative approach for bladder neck stabilization that may permit a more anatomic suspension of a hypermobile urethra.