Open Access

ARTICLE

Long term follow up of bovine dermis pubovaginal slings

Joshua P. Holstead¹, B. Jill Williams¹, Alex Gomelsky^1,2

1 Department of Urology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center - Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
2 Willis Knighton Health System, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
Address correspondence to Dr. Alex Gomelsky, Department of Urology, LSU Health Sciences Center – Shreveport, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71130 USA

Canadian Journal of Urology 2013, 20(2), 6721-6725.

Abstract

Introduction: Women with risk factors for surgical failure (advanced age, failed previous anti-incontinence surgery, intrinsic sphincter deficiency, and absence of urethral hypermobility) underwent acellular bovine dermis slings. We evaluate long-term outcomes and complications with this material.
Materials and methods: We retrospectively identified 41 women who completed 36-month postoperative follow-up. Preoperative evaluation included pelvic exam, SEAPI classification, and validated quality of life (QoL) questionnaires. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) cure was defined as SEAPI (S) subset = 0 and negative cough-stress test. Perioperative data was abstracted from the hospital and office chart.
Results: The SUI cure rate was 80.5%. Most SUI recurrences occurred within the first 12 months of follow-up. Perioperative complications and rates of reoperation for recurrent SUI were low. There was a postoperative improvement in mean SEAPI scores and significant improvement in all QoL indices over preoperative baseline values.
Conclusions: At long-term follow-up, bovine dermis continues to be a durable biologic option for a population at “high risk” for surgical failure after sling surgery. SUI-specific clinical outcomes remain stable, while rates of complications continue to be low. Improvement in QoL indices persists with long-term follow-up.

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