Midurethral bulbocavernous muscle sling for genuine stress incontinence - an alternative to synthetic slings?

• Main Authors: N Rajamaheswari, Karthik Gunasekaran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2003-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Urology
• Subjects: Bulbocavernous muscle; stress incontinence; sling proce-dure; minimally invasive; midurethra.
• Online Access: http://www.indianjurol.com/article.asp?issn=0970-1591;year=2003;volume=20;issue=1;spage=37;epage=39;aulast=Rajamaheswari
• ISSN: 0970-1591; 1998-3824

Objectives: To assess the efficacy of midurethral bulbo-cavernous muscle sling (BCMS) in the treatment of genu-ine stress incontinence in women. Methods: A prospective study comprising 25 women was carried out at the Govt. Kasturba Gandhi Hospital, Chennai. The women whose age was in the range of 30-65 years had GSI as proved by urodynamic evaluation. The bulbocavernous muscle sling implies the approximation of both the bulbocavernous muscles around the midurethra with prolene sutures. The procedure is done under regional anaesthesia. Results: These patients were followed up for 2 years. Eighteen (72%) women reported complete cure, 4 (16%) were significantly improved and in 3 the surgery failed. Conclusions: The bulbocavernous muscle sling is a promising new procedure for genuine stress incontinence. There is no need for intraoperative cystoscopy and the chances of bladder injury are nonexistent. Larger sample with long term follow up and randomized controlled trials comparing it with the other surgical techniques may prove its true efficacy.