Sling Procedure: A Treatment Option for Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence can happen at any age in a women’s lifetime. Urinary stress incontinence occurs when you cough, sneeze, laugh, exercise or lift things.  As a pelvic floor disorder, your provider may recommend treating urinary stress incontinence with pelvic floor exercises, working with a physical therapist or a pessary. However, if your symptoms are ongoing and unmanageable, surgical intervention via a vaginal sling procedure could give you long-lasting results.

Stress incontinence occurs when the functions of the urethra (which carries urine out of the bladder) and bladder neck (where they join) are compromised. The sphincter muscle, which controls the flow of the urine from the bladder to the urethra, may also weaken over time or during pregnancy and impacts incontinence. The sling procedure provides extra support to these areas and helps the urethra remain closed at the appropriate times to avoid leakage.

The midurethral sling procedure utilizes a piece of mesh to create a sling that functions like a hammock. Midurethral tension-free slings (mesh) offer support to the bladder neck. Sling placement is a minimally invasive procedure with a quick recovery period.

Before deciding about surgery, the following factors should be considered:

• Get an accurate diagnosis. Different types of incontinence require different therapies, so it’s important to get a precise diagnosis.
• Consider future childbearing. If you plan to have children, your doctor might recommend waiting on surgery. Pregnancy and delivery can strain your bladder, urethra and supportive tissues, possibly undoing the benefits of surgery.
• Understand surgery limitations. Surgery will only address the specific problem targeted. For example, sling surgery to treat stress incontinence will not treat other problems such as an overactive bladder or mixed incontinence issues.
• Medical history. If you have had pelvic cancer or a prior surgery for incontinence, it could impact your qualification for a sling procedure.

In recovery after surgery, degrees of discomfort vary, ranging from a few days to a few weeks. Avoiding stress to the surgical area is always recommended, so limited exercise, lifting and straining will be important.

Talk with your health care provider if you are having issues with stress urinary incontinence. When conservative measures to treat it fail, a sling procedure could be right for you.

Dr. Thomas Minnec specializes in obstetrics and gynecology. He is welcoming new patients at his office in West Branch and will perform surgeries and deliver babies at MyMichigan Medical Center West Branch. He offers a full continuum of care for women with a special interest in the surgical and medical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence. To become a new patient, please contact the office at (989)343-3762.