Peter L. Dwyer

An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) / International Continence Society (ICS) joint terminology and classification of the complications related directly to the insertion of prostheses (meshes, implants, tapes) & grafts in female pelvic floor surgery

Introduction and hypothesisA terminology and standardized classification has yet to be developed for those complications arising directly from the insertion of synthetic (prostheses) and biological (grafts) materials in female pelvic floor surgery.MethodsThis report on the above terminology and classification combines the input of members of the Standardization and Terminology Committees of two International Organizations, the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) and the International Continence Society (ICS) and a Joint IUGA/ICS Working Group on Complications Terminology, assisted at intervals by many expert external referees. An extensive process of 11 rounds of internal and external review took place with exhaustive examination of each aspect of the terminology and classification. Decision-making was by collective opinion (consensus).ResultsA terminology and classification of complications related directly to the insertion of prostheses and grafts in female pelvic floor surgery has been developed, with the classification based on category (C), time (T) and site (S) classes and divisions, that should encompass all conceivable scenarios for describing insertion complications and healing abnormalities. The CTS code for each complication, involving three (or four) letters and three numerals, is likely to be very suitable for any surgical audit or registry, particularly one that is procedure-specific. Users of the classification have been assisted by case examples, colour charts and online aids (www.icsoffice.org/complication).ConclusionsA consensus-based terminology and classification report for prosthess and grafts complications in female pelvic floor surgery has been produced, aimed at being a significant aid to clinical practice and research.

Transvaginal repair of anterior and posterior compartment prolapse with Atrium polypropylene mesh

Objective  To determine the efficacy and safety of a new technique using Atrium polypropylene mesh (Atrium, Hudson, New Hampshire, USA) as an overlay graft for repair of large or recurrent anterior and posterior compartment prolapse.

Obesity and urinary incontinence in women

Summary. In a series of 368 incontinent women who presented to our urodynamic clinic for assessment, 232 (63%) were diagnosed as having genuine stress incontinence, and 136 (27%) as having detrusor instability. Obesity (>20% more than average weight for height and age) was significantly more common in women with genuine stress incontinence and detrusor instability than in the normal population. In those with detrusor instability the body mass index was found to increase with age and parity. In women with genuine stress incontinence the body mass index increased with age and the number of previous incontinence operations; it was higher in nulliparous than in parous women. There was no significant difference between obese and nonobese women in any of the urodynamic variables measured in the two incontinence groups.

Effectiveness of tension-free vaginal tape compared with transobturator tape in women with stress urinary incontinence and intrinsic sphincter deficiency: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy of transobturator tape with tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women with intrinsic sphincter deficiency. METHODS: One hundred sixty-four women diagnosed with urodynamic stress incontinence and intrinsic sphincter deficiency with or without concomitant pelvic organ prolapse repair were randomized to receive TVT or transobturator tape. The primary outcome was the presence or absence of urodynamic stress incontinence at 6 months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes were the rate of operative complications, symptomatic stress incontinence requiring further surgery, and quality-of-life questionnaires. RESULTS: Of 180 women eligible to participate, 164 were enrolled and underwent surgery. Of the 138 patients assessed at 6 months with urodynamic studies, 14 of 67 (21%) had urodynamic stress incontinence in the TVT group compared with 32 of 71 (45%) in the transobturator tape group (P=.004), with nine women in the transobturator tape group having repeat sling surgery compared with none in the TVT group. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the incident rate difference for request of repeat surgery was 9.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0–19.9); repeat surgery would be requested in one of every six transobturator tape procedures compared with 1 of every 16 TVT procedures. The risk ratio of repeat surgery was 2.6 (95% CI 0.9–9.3) times higher in the transobturator tape group. CONCLUSION: Retropubic TVT is a more effective operation than the transobturator tape sling in women with urodynamic stress incontinence and intrinsic sphincter deficiency. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.actr.org.au, Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12608000093381 LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I

An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint terminology and classification of the complications related directly to the insertion of prostheses (meshes, implants, tapes) and grafts in female pelvic floor surgery.

A terminology and standardized classification has yet to be developed for those complications arising directly from the insertion of synthetic (prostheses) and biological (grafts) materials in female pelvic floor surgery.

Risk factors for mesh erosion after transvaginal surgery using polypropylene (Atrium) or composite polypropylene/polyglactin 910 (Vypro II) mesh

The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with the occurrence of mesh erosion (ME) during the first 6 post-operative months in patients having undergone transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) with Atrium or Vypro II mesh. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 198 consecutive patients who underwent vaginal reconstructive surgery reinforced either by Atrium or Vypro II mesh between February 1999 and July 2003. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess associations between measured covariates and ME. Fourteen patients [7.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.9–11.6] developed vaginal ME. We found that, in the Vypro II mesh patients, the surgeon experienced in the technique had less erosions than less experienced surgeons (2.9 vs 15.6%, p=0.02). There was no statistically significant difference between the monofilament polypropylene (Atrium) and the composite polypropylene/polyglactin 910 (Vypro II) mesh (7.2 vs 6.9%, p=0.41) when adjusted for surgeon experience and patient age. There was no association between mesh type (Atrium or Vypro II) and vaginal ME following transvaginal repair of POP. Surgeon experience and patient age were associated with ME.

CLINICAL EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF TOLTERODINE COMPARED TO PLACEBO IN DETRUSOR OVERACTIVITY

PURPOSE We evaluated the efficacy, patient acceptability and side effect profile of tolterodine, a new antimuscarinic agent for treating bladder overactivity. MATERIALS AND METHODS In our randomized, placebo controlled, parallel group study 123, 129 and 64 patients 18 years old or older with proved detrusor overactivity (idiopathic detrusor instability or detrusor hyperreflexia) were randomized to receive 1 or 2 mg. tolterodine, or placebo, respectively, twice daily for 12 weeks. Main outcome measures were number of voids per 24 hours, urine volume per void and episodes of urge incontinence per 24 hours on a frequency-volume chart with detailed recording of side effects. RESULTS After 12 weeks of treatment mean number of voids per 24 hours plus or minus standard deviation decreased from 11.2 +/- 3.1 to 9.0 +/- 2.6 with the 2 mg. dosage (p = 0.0045 versus placebo). At this dose mean urine volume per void increased from 155 +/- 52 to 190 +/- 70 ml. (p <0.0001 versus placebo), while mean number of incontinence episodes per 24 hours decreased from 3.6 +/- 4.0 to 1.8 +/- 3.1 (p = 0.19 versus placebo). Similar efficacy was observed in patients receiving the 1 mg. dose. Severe dry mouth was reported by only 2, 1 and 2% of patients given the 1 and 2 mg. dose, and placebo, respectively. There was no clinical or electrocardiographic evidence of significant cardiac adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Tolterodine administration resulted in a significant decrease in the frequency of voiding and improved voided volume but it was seldom associated with troublesome or severe side effects.

Percutaneous sacral nerve root neuromodulation for intractable interstitial cystitis

PURPOSE We evaluated the efficacy of percutaneous sacral nerve root neuromodulation in women with refractory interstitial cystitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS We prospectively evaluated 15 consecutive women with a mean age of 62 years who had refractory interstitial cystitis to determine the efficacy of percutaneous stimulation of the S3 sacral roots. The mean duration of symptoms before evaluation was 5.2 years. All women fulfilled the National Institute of Arthritis, Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases criteria for the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis and were unresponsive to standard oral or intravesical therapy. The response to treatment was assessed using pain scores, urinary diary variables and quality of life surveys. RESULTS Mean voided volume during treatment increased from 90 to 143 ml. (p <0.001). Mean daytime frequency and nocturia decreased from 20 to 11 and 6 to 2 times (p = 0.012 and 0.007, respectively). Mean bladder pain decreased from 8.9 to 2.4 points on a scale of 0 to 10 (p <0.001). As indicated by the Short Urinary Distress Inventory and SF-36 Health Survey, the quality of life parameters of social functioning, bodily pain and general health significantly improved during the stimulation period. Of the women 73% requested to proceed to complete sacral nerve root implantation. CONCLUSION Women with intractable interstitial cystitis respond favorably to percutaneous sacral stimulation with significant improvement in pelvic pain, daytime frequency, nocturia, urgency and average voided volume. Permanent sacral implantation may be an effective treatment modality in refractory interstitial cystitis but further long-term evaluation is required.

Iliococcygeus or sacrospinous fixation for vaginal vault prolapse.

OBJECTIVE To compare iliococcygeus (prespinous) and sacrospinous fixation for vaginal vault prolapse. METHODS Between 1994 and 1998, 78 women underwent sacrospinous colpopexy and 50 underwent iliococcygeus fixation for the management of symptomatic vaginal vault prolapse. A matched case‐control study was designed to compare the two approaches. The matched variables included age, parity, body mass index, degree of vault prolapse, menopause, sexual activity, constipation, previous prolapse or continence surgery, stress incontinence, and length of review. Thirty‐six matched pairs were isolated, resulting in a study with a power of 50% to detect a 20% difference in the success rates between the two groups. RESULTS The subjective success rate for the iliococcygeus group was 91%; it was 94% for the sacrospinous group (P = .73). The objective success rate was 53% and 67% (P = .36), and the patient satisfaction with surgery was 78 of 100 and 91 of 100 (P = .01) on a visual analogue scale. The mean length of postoperative follow‐up was 21 months for the iliococcygeus group and 19 months for the sacrospinous group (P = .52). The recovery time was 54 days in the iliococcygeus group and 39 days in the sacrospinous group (P = .04). No significant difference was seen in the incidence of postoperative cystoceles or damage to the pudendal neurovascular bundle. CONCLUSION Sacrospinous and iliococcygeus fixation are equally effective procedures for vaginal vault prolapse and have similar rates of postoperative cystocele, buttock pain, and hemorrhage requiring transfusion. The sacrospinous ligament fixation should not be discarded in favor of the iliococcygeus fixation in the management of vaginal vault prolapse.

Repeat Synthetic Mid Urethral Sling Procedure for Women With Recurrent Stress Urinary Incontinence

PURPOSE We reported and compared the outcomes of repeat mid urethral sling with primary mid urethral sling in women with stress urinary incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 1,225 consecutive women with urodynamic stress incontinence underwent a synthetic mid urethral sling procedure (955 retropubic, 270 transobturator) at our institution between 1999 and 2007. Of the patients 91% (1,112) were interviewed via telephone call with a structured questionnaire and were included in the analysis. Mean +/- SD followup was 50 +/- 24 months (range 12 to 114). A comparison between repeat (77, mean age 62 +/- 12 years) and primary (1,035, mean age 60 +/- 13 years) mid urethral sling groups was performed. Repeat sling was placed without removal of the previous sling. RESULTS The preoperative incidence of intrinsic sphincter deficiency was higher in patients who had a repeat mid urethral sling (31% vs 13%, p <0.001). The subjective stress incontinence cure rate was 86% and 62% in the primary and repeat group, respectively (p <0.001). The repeat retropubic approach was significantly more successful than the repeat transobturator approach (71% vs 48%, p = 0.04). The rates of sling related and general postoperative complications were similar between the primary and the repeat groups. However, de novo urgency (30% vs 14%, p <0.001) and de novo urge urinary incontinence (22% vs 5%, p <0.001) were more frequent in the repeat group compared with the primary group. CONCLUSIONS A repeat synthetic mid urethral sling procedure has a significantly lower cure rate than a primary mid urethral sling procedure. The repeat retropubic approach has a higher success rate than the repeat transobturator approach. The incidence of de novo urgency and urge incontinence are significantly higher in repeat procedures.