A review of incontinence surgery
/Synthetic sling surgery in spotlight
The most commonly performed surgery to address incontinence is an operation called "synthetic mid-urethral sling" (SMUS).
Just on 12 months ago, Nature Reviews Neurology(1) published a risk review of this surgery. They concluded that the overall risk of a negative impact exceeded 15%, following SMUS implantation. Some of the factors contributing to this assessment included:
- failure to correct the problem
- chronic pain
- urethral obstruction
- erosion of vaginal, bladder or urethral tissue
- further development of stress incontinence
For many women the operation is necessary and, in conjunction with medical advice, they will decide to accept the risks. Other women may choose to defer the surgery, once they fully understand the degree of risk.
In either case, the team at ActivLife believes that it is sensible / prudent / advisable to exhaust all non-invasive options before embarking upon surgery.
InControl is a non-invasive, clinically proven means of strengthening pelvic floor muscles. Strong pelvic floor muscles contribute to bladder control, core strength and spinal stability. Strong pelvic floor muscles may address a possible cause of low back pain.
InControl is a medical device listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG listing number 175359).
(1) Safety considerations for synthetic sling surgery, Blavias et al; August 2015