Rolled vaginal wall flap for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence

Abstract

Objectives: Anterior vaginal wall slings (AVWS) have been used for decades in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The main drawback of using the vaginal wall as a sling is its tendency to weaken and stretch over the course of years. The use of synthetic tapes for the treatment of SUI is effective but costly. For patients who cannot afford synthetic tapes, we describe the preliminary results of a modified AVWS technique for the treatment of SUI types II and III.
Patients and Methods: In this series, a modification of the AVWS was applied in 35 female patients with SUI. A fortified and rolled flap is used to provide compression and support of the urethra. The vaginal mucosal surface of the flap is cauterized and two diagonal sutures are placed
across it. The flap is then rolled on itself with a running 2/0 vicryl suture. Two sutures attached to both ends are passed retropubically to the anterior abdominal wall and tied over the rectus sheath.
Results: All 35 female patients had type II/III SUI. After a median follow up of 43 months, 91% of the patients were dry or used 0-1 pad per day. Only one patient suffered from transient retention for one week post-operatively.
Conclusion: This is a simple method to reinforce vaginal wall flaps. It could offer a durable and effective option for the treatment of SUI in patients who can not afford synthetic tapes. Long-term follow up is required to evaluate the durability of the procedure