Sling Surgery
Bladder sling surgery is a common treatment for stress urinary incontinence. Although there are many variations of bladder sling surgery for this purpose, the basic premise is that of a sling or hammock-like material, placed under the urethra to correct the lack of support beneath the urethra and to also provide some compression on the urethra.
Unfortunately, many people have suffered complications of sling surgery such as pain, erosion of the sling material, and signs of problems such as tissue ulceration and urinary tract infection.
Bladder Sling for Stress Urinary Incontinence
The use of a bladder sling for stress urinary incontinence depends on an individual patient's unique needs. The bladder sling procedures can be categorized based on the material used for the sling, or by the route used to implant the sling. A bladder sling is not the only possible treatment for stress urinary incontinence, and its risks should be made known to a patient.
A fairly recent development in the use of bladder slings is the use of a synthetic sling implanted at the mid-point of the urethra, called a "mid-urethral sling." However, a bladder sling may also be made out of the patient's own body tissue, or tissue from a deceased donor (a cadaver), or animal tissue. Anyone suffering from signs of problems or complications with any of these bladder sling types (see below) should contact his or her physician immediately.
Complications of Bladder Sling Surgery
The complications of bladder sling surgery can be quite serious — even life-threatening. In 2008, the FDA issued a Public Health Notification entitled "Serious Complications Associated with Transvaginal Placement of Surgical Mesh in Repair of Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Stress Urinary Incontinence," which describes the following complications:
- bowel, bladder and blood vessel perforation during insertion of the sling
- erosion through the vaginal epithelium
- infection
- mesh erosion
- pain
- painful sexual intercourse
- recurrence of prolapse and/or incontinence
- urinary problems
- vaginal scarring
Individuals who have suffered from a complication of a bladder sling surgery should know their legal rights. For more information, schedule a free case review with an experienced transvaginal mesh lawyer today.