Pubovaginal slings for stress urinary incontinence following radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder reconstruction in women.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the clinical efficacy of pubovaginal slings for new onset stress urinary incontinence following radical cystectomy and orthotopic lower urinary tract reconstruction in women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between June 1990 and July 2002, 101 female patients with primary transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were treated with radical cystectomy and orthotopic ileal neobladder reconstruction. Four patients 61 to 73 years old underwent pubovaginal slings (autologous rectus fascia in 2 and dermal graft in 2) for stress urinary incontinence persisting 9 to 20 months following reconstruction with a Studer (2) or T pouch (2) ileal neobladder. Pre-cystectomy continence was excellent in 3 patients, while 1 had mild stress incontinence. All patients had high grade, muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma and/or carcinoma in situ with negative urethral margins and 3 of the 4 had lymph node negative disease on pathological examination. Two patients were treated with transurethral bulking material 4 to 5 months prior to the sling procedure without noticeable improvement.

RESULTS: Two patients who underwent autologous pubovaginal slings had significant complications arising from dissection in the retropubic space, including 1 entero-pouch fistula and 1 enterotomy resulting in an enterocutaneous fistula, sepsis and subsequent death. These 2 patients had persistent stress incontinence despite the sling procedures and they ultimately underwent conversion to continent cutaneous urinary diversions. Two patients were treated with a dermal graft sling using infrapubic bone anchors through a transvaginal approach, obviating the need to enter the pelvis. These patients had uneventful postoperative courses and they are currently hypercontinent, performing intermittent catheterization with complete daytime continence and only occasional nighttime leakage 3 and 9 months following sling surgery.

CONCLUSIONS: Pubovaginal sling procedures for incontinence following orthotopic neobladder reconstruction in women may be complicated due to extensive pelvic surgery. Dissection in the retropubic space should be avoided because potentially fatal complications may occur. Slings using infrapubic bone anchors may provide the best option in such patients in whom conservative management has failed because the pelvis need not be violated.