The object was to study prospectively the results of a modified intravaginal slingplasty for the surgical treatment of female stress incontinence, carried out under local anesthesia as a day procedure. Seventy five patients with genuine stress incontinence were operated upon and followed for a 2-year period. All patients were diagnosed urodynamically to have genuine stress incontinence. Pad tests and quality of life assessments were carried out in all patients both pre- and postoperatively. There were no intra- or postoperative complications and 63 patients (84%) were completely cured throughout the 2-year follow-up period. Six patients (8%) were significantly improved, i.e. they did not loose urine apart from an occasional leakage during severe cold etc. In the remaining 6 patients (8%) no improvement was seen. These failures were obvious at the first postoperative check-up after 2 months. Thus, there were no relapses after 2 months. All but 5 patients were able to void properly directly after surgery. These 5 needed an indwelling catheter during the night directly after the operation. All 75 patients were released from the hospital the same day or the day after surgery without catheterization. Mean sick leave was 10 days and mean operation time 22 minutes. No defect healing or rejection of the sling occurred. It is concluded that the procedure described is a promising new technique for the surgical treatment of female stress incontinence. Prospective long-term studies including more patients are in progress to establish the definitive place of this technique in the clinical routine.

An ambulatory surgical procedure under local anesthesia for treatment of female urinary incontinence.

Microrobots have the potential to revolutionize many aspects of medicine. These untethered, wirelessly controlled and powered devices will make existing therapeutic and diagnostic procedures less invasive and will enable new procedures never before possible. The aim of this review is threefold: first, to provide a comprehensive survey of the technological state of the art in medical microrobots; second, to explore the potential impact of medical microrobots and inspire future research in this field; and third, to provide a collection of valuable information and engineering tools for the design of medical microrobots.

/pdf/microrobots-for-minimally-invasive-medicine-cvnrt37y65.pdf

Microrobots for Minimally Invasive Medicine

Transobturator tape is an artificial tape designed for urethral suspension to treat female stress urinary incontinence. This tape has two original features: its non-woven polypropylene structure is coated with silicone on the urethral surface in order to limit retraction of polypropylene and to establish a barrier to extension of periurethral fibrosis. transmuscular insertion, through the obturator and puborectalis muscles, reproduces the natural suspension fascia of the urethra while preserving the retropubic space. A preliminary study (40 implantations) confirmed the feasibility of this operation, the low morbidity (one complication: sepsis) and the encouraging results between 3 and 12 months; in the treatment of isolated incontinence (16 patients), no postoperative dysuria has been observed; 15 patients are totally continent and 1 patient is improved; in the treatment of prolapse associated with frank or potential incontinence (24 patients), transient postoperative dysuria was observed in 4 cases, with no postoperative incontinence.

[Transobturator urethral suspension: mini-invasive procedure in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women].

A new ambulatory procedure for treatment of female urinary incontinence (intravaginal slingplasty, IVS) was performed on 50 patients. In all patients the surgical procedure was carried out under local anaesthesia and without postoperative urinary catheterization. The technique has been elaborated from previous experimental and clinical studies and aims at restoration of the pubourethral ligament and the suburethral vaginal hammock. Thirty-eight patients suffered from genuine stress incontinence as objectively verified and 12 patients had symptoms and signs of both urge and stress incontinence. Thirty-nine (78%) patients were completely cured from their stress incontinence symptoms. Another six patients (12%) reported a considerable improvement of their urinary incontinence leaking only occasionally. Concerning urge incontinence symptoms a significant relief of the symptoms was obtained in 6 of 12 patients. No intra- or postoperative complications occurred.

Intravaginal slingplasty (IVS) : an ambulatory surgical procedure for treatment of female urinary incontinence

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(07)60462-0.pdf

Pelvic organ prolapse

In this Theory paper, the complex interplay of the specific structures involved in female urinary continence are analyzed. In addition the effects of age, hormones, and iatrogenically induced scar tissue on these structures, are discussed specifically with regard to understanding the proper basis for treatment of urinary incontinence.

According to the Theory stress and urge symptoms may both derive, for different reasons from the same anatomical defect, a lax vagina. This laxity may be caused by defects within the vaginal wall itself, or its supporting structures i.e. ligaments, muscles, and their connective tissue insertions.

The vagina has a dual function. It mediates (transmits) the various muscle movements involved in bladder neck opening and closure through three separate closure mechanisms. It also has a structural function, and prevents urgency by supporting the hypothesized stretch receptors at the proximal urethra and bladder neck. Altered collagen/elastin in the vaginal connective tissue and/or its ligamentous supports may cause laxity. This dissipates the muscle contraction, causing stress incontinence, and/or activation of an inappropriate micturition reflex, (“bladder instability”) by stimulation of bladder base stretch receptors. The latter is manifested by symptoms of frequency, urgency, nocturia with or without urine loss.

An integral theory of female urinary incontinence. Experimental and clinical considerations.

The Integral Theory on Female Urinary Incontinence states: stress symptoms, urge symptoms, and symptoms of defective flow may all derive , for different reasons, from laxity in the suburethral vagina or its supporting ligaments. This theory proposes that the pre-tensioned anterior vaginal wall transmits specific pelvic muscle contractions which open or close the bladder neck and urethra. The vagina is tensioned like the membrane of a drum against the ligaments which support it from above. In its tensioned state, the vagina can be pulled by the pelvic floor muscles to mechanically open or close bladder neck. The tensioned vagina also indirectly supports the nerve terminals at bladder base. Vaginal laxity may predispose to premature activation of the micturition reflex. If this reflex cannot be suppressed, then the subsequent uninhibited detrusor contraction may cause urinary urge incontinence ( bladder instability). Therefore, laxity* in the vaginal tissue or its supporting ligaments may, for different reasons cause symptoms of stress incontinence, urge incontinence, or of defective opening. Based on the evidence presented here and in previous studies (1), a new anatomical classification of female urinary incontinence can be made, consisting of six specific anatomical defects. Characteristic clinical, morphological and urodynamic changes which help to diagnose a particular defect are identified, as is the modifying effect of age, hormones, and iatrogenically induced scar tissue. Three separate closure mechanisms are described, urethral, bladder neck, and a separate voluntary mechanism. * excessive tightness of these structures may also cause dysfunction of the opening/closure mechanisms in the patient who has been already subjected to surgical interference.

An integral theory and its method for the diagnosis and management of female urinary incontinence.

Our objective was to present and critically analyze the first 75 infracoccygeal sacropexy (ICS) operations for cure of vault prolapse. Level 1 reconstruction was achieved by the insertion of a tension-free vaginal tape (nylon) via the ischiorectal fossa into a transversely incised posterior vaginal fornix. Level 2 defects were repaired by cutting a central ‘bridge’ in the posterior vaginal wall and suturing the lateral flaps to the bridge. Level 3 repair reconstituted the perineal body. Postoperative pain was minimized by avoiding excessive tightening of tissues and avoiding surgery on the distal 1 cm of the vagina. Total operating time varied between 30 and 60 minutes. Mean blood loss was 120 ml. All patients were discharged within 24 hours of surgery, with minimal pain and without indwelling catheters. Almost all returned to normal activities within 7–10 days. Of the 75 patients (mean age 54 years), 71 were prospectively followed up between 1 and 4.5 years after surgery. Vault prolapse recurred in 6%. The main complication was tape erosion (5.3%). Infracoccygeal sacropexy is a promising day-case alternative to conventional methods. It has built-in safety, as it avoids pudendal nerves and vessels and surface rectal veins. Areas of future development are identified.

Vault Prolapse II: Restoration of Dynamic Vaginal Supports by Infracoccygeal Sacropexy, an Axial Day-Case Vaginal Procedure

The aim of the study was to determine the contribution of intra-abdominal pressure transmission to urinary continence in the female. Five patients with genuine stress incontinence (GSI) were studied. Pressure transmission was measured in equivalent positions inside and outside the urethra and bladder during the Intravaginal Slingplasty procedure, a surgical operation used for treatment of urinary incontinence, and performed under local anaesthesia. A 6 mm diameter channel was created alongside the urethra. Two separate microtransducer catheters appropriately marked for length were inserted, one inside the urethra, and the other inside the described channel. With the vaginal hammock intact, an average of 10 simultaneous pressure measurements were made intraoperatively in response to coughing and straining in equivalent positions inside the urethra, and directly outside. Significantly higher pressure readings were found inside the urethra (P = 0.0025), indicating that an active component within the urethra may have created this pressure rise. After opening out two suburethral vaginal flaps, large quantities of urine were lost on coughing in all patients. Continence was achieved on tightening the suburethral vagina, indicating that an adequately tight vaginal hammock is a critical element in the continence process. The findings of this study question intraabdominal pressure as a mechanism contributing to continence, but support an alternative mechanism, musculovaginal closure of the urethra.

Peter Petros

Papers

Intravaginal slingplasty (IVS) : an ambulatory surgical procedure for treatment of female urinary incontinence

An integral theory of female urinary incontinence. Experimental and clinical considerations.

An integral theory and its method for the diagnosis and management of female urinary incontinence.

Vault Prolapse II: Restoration of Dynamic Vaginal Supports by Infracoccygeal Sacropexy, an Axial Day-Case Vaginal Procedure

Urethral pressure increase on effort originates from within the urethra, and continence from musculovaginal closure