Statement on mid-urethral slings
mini传媒入口
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
mini传媒入口 supports the use of mid-urethral slings (MUS) in the surgical management of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) by appropriately trained and credentialed surgeons, where women make well informed decision on this option.
mini传媒入口 has well evidenced and clear guidance for surgeons who undertake MUS surgery (mini传媒入口 Position Statement on MUS (2022). mini传媒入口 emphasises:
– Surgeons performing MUS (and other gynaecological procedures) should only operate within their capabilities and the scope within which they are credentialed.
– Patients must be given information to make choices on treatment, including benefits, risks and alternative treatment options including doing nothing. All women considering MUS should discuss and be provided with the patient guide developed by the New Zealand Mesh Working Group
– Careful clinical consideration must be given to all MUS procedures and mini传媒入口 supports the use of multi-disciplinary teams to consider cases prior to a decision to proceed
mini传媒入口 understands the consumer concerns behind the recent call to suspend the implantation of vaginally-inserted mesh sling for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). mini传媒入口 acknowledges that some women have experienced significant harm from MUS surgery.
Female urinary incontinence is common and is often debilitating and can substantially reduce a woman鈥檚 quality of life. Non-surgical treatments such as pelvic floor exercises are helpful for some women however, for many women surgery is necessary to provide a more effective and enduring end to their symptoms.
Midurethral slings (MUS) were developed in the 1990鈥檚 to treat stress urinary incontinence, offering a significantly less invasive procedure. An extensive body of literature indicates that MUS surgery is a highly effective treatment for SUI, associated with less pain, shorter hospitalisation, faster return to usual activities, compared to historic options for treating SUI.
The limitation of the medical scientific literature and our local information systems is lack of long term follow up data. Issues related to surgical mesh have emerged as women have been empowered to speak up about their longer-term outcomes, clearly indicating the need for longer term monitoring of outcomes of surgical procedures.
Read in response to the petition to suspend the implantation of mesh sling for stress urinary incontinence.