Objective: The objective of this study is to compare quality of life and success rates of repeat midurethral slings (RMUS) using retropubic (RP) and transobturator (TO) routes.
Materials and methods: Multicenter retrospective cohort with prospective follow-up of patients undergoing RMUS from 2003 to 2016. Prospective Urinary Distress Inventory (UDI-6) and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) were collected by phone. Primary outcome was success of repeat sling by approach (RP vs TO), defined as responses of no to UDI-6 number 3 and very much better or much better on PGI-I.
Results: A total of 122 patients prospectively completed UDI-6. Average ± SD time to failure after initial sling was 51.6 ± 56.1 months; mean follow-up after repeat sling was 30.7 months. Route of initial sling was RP 30.3%, TO 49.2%, and minisling 16.4%. Of the patients, 55.8% met our success definition following RMUS. About 71.3% were very much better or much better on PGI-I, and 30.3% reported stress urinary incontinence (SUI) on UDI-6. Of the RMUS, 73.8% were RP versus 26.2% TO.There was no difference in success between repeat RP and TO routes (53.3% versus 63.3%, P = 0.34), nor for individual components: PGI-I response of very much better or much better (68.9% vs 78.1%), UDI-6 total score (25.9 vs 22.7, P = 0.29), or SUI on UDI-6 number 3 (32.2% vs 25.0%, P = 0.45), although the predetermined sample size was not met. No predictors of success or failure of RMUS were identified.
Conclusions: Majority of patients are very much better or much better after RMUS, although 30% still report bothersome SUI. No difference in success was observed between RP and TO RMUS.