Sling Procedure for Minor Incontinence

[WayneSC]

I am considering having this procedure done by my Urologist in Charleston, SC. My doctor does a lot of this procedure with a high success rate. Minor surgery with a one night stay for observation. Involves a sling that goes under the urethra.

Does anyone have any knowledge to share.

[Tall_Allen]

It usually isn't very effective, but is an easy procedure. Have you considered an artificial urinary sphincter?

[WayneSC in reply to Tall_Allen]

I have not. Is it known to be more effective? What is the recovery time?

Thank you for answering my question.

[Tall_Allen in reply to WayneSC]

Much more effective. It is a bigger procedure.

bjui-journals.onlinelibrary...

[WayneSC in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thank you so much for this informative article. I have had radiation and am curious as to results not as good after radiation. I have been scoped several times and there is no apparent scar tissue visible.

Thank you again

[Lt036 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Tall Allen am having surgery next month to have some of the cancer

Cut out of the opening of my bladder and a stint put in to help relieve the back up of fluid in the

Kidneys. No nothing about this procedure. Are you familiar with it?

Now have almost no control over my urinating. Have to wear depends most of the time.

Your thoughts will be appreciated

[Tall_Allen in reply to Lt036]

The ureteral stents will prevent back-up of fluid into the kidneys. And I'm sure the build-up of fluid is putting too much pressure against the sphincters that are supposed to stop uncontrolled flow.

[Lt036 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thank you sir

[MBOY1 in reply to Lt036]

I have the stents in my ureters and they will be changed every 3 months. Mine were from issues related to scar tissue and calcification resulting from proton beam radiation and a prior TURP. Procedure is out patient though they have to knock you out. Not a big deal but hope it works for your issues.

[Lt036 in reply to MBOY1]

Thank you sir. Doc never said anything about having to replace every three months.

Will see him the 29 and he will explain everything then. Also

Have a lot of scar tissue due to radiation 15 years ago. Also messed up my bowels. Just found out I it is in lymph nodes

Spine, right shoulder and bladder. Could be worse. Last time I said that it did. Hope you are doing well.

Thanks for your response.

[MBOY1 in reply to Lt036]

Thanks. Hopefully you just need the stents to get through a specific issue and won’t need long term. I hope that’s it. You won’t feel them at all so no worries there.

[Bruins11]

My Dr. will not do it anymore due to ineffectiveness. I’m having ProAct therapy done in September which has had good success. May want to check it out. My Dr. is in Naples, Fl. Relatively new procedure and kinda hard to find a Dr. trained in it. Several in Florida.

Simple and safe and easily removable if it doesn’t help you.

[WayneSC in reply to Bruins11]

Thank you. What does the procedure involve?

[julianc]

Hi check out this thread from a few months ago where I gave my sling experience healthunlocked.com/fight-pr...

[WayneSC in reply to julianc]

Thank you for the link as I have my appointment this afternoon. Very helpful indeed.

[gamma909]

I considered the sling and the artificial sphincter - these are of course very personal decisions and everyone's tolerance for incontinence is different. I first had a full urological exam (urodynamics, cystogram) to make sure I did not have any other issues that may contribute to incontinence and to provide the urologist with additional information for making a recommendation. He felt that either surgery could address my degree of incontinence and went through the pros/cons of both procedures. He was not in the least bit pushy about proceeding with surgery. I've also done quite a bit of my own research on both procedures. From discussions with my local prostate cancer support group, I have not heard of much success with the sling (some have replaced sling with artificial sphincter). The same group has reported better results with artificial sphincter. For now, I do not plan to have either procedure and instead am learning to live with my incontinence - I am extremely active so this isn't easy. My decision was based on not really wanting to have another surgery, lack of reported success with sling, not wanting a mechanical device inside of me (and it needs replacing every 5-7 years), and the fact that I'm an avid runner (been doing it for 40 years) and cyclist. Especially with running, there is no predicting how any device will hold up over time - too much pounding going on and there are no research studies on these devices involving runners. I am keeping an eye on ProAct to see if its use becomes more widespread. Good luck!