Urethral Morphology and Support Associated with Urinary Symptoms after Vaginal Surgery with and without Midurethral Sling

Background

Midurethral sling placement is often performed during prolapse repair to treat or prevent stress urinary incontinence. However, some women experience persistent or new-onset stress or urgency urinary incontinence after surgery. It is unclear how prolapse repair, with or without a concomitant midurethral sling, alters urethral morphology and support, and how these changes relate to urinary continence outcomes.

Objectives

To compare postoperative urethral morphology (dimensions, angles, shape) and support (position, mobility) after transvaginal prolapse repair with vs without a concurrent midurethral sling, and to explore associations between postoperative urethral characteristics and urinary outcomes (stress, urgency symptoms).

Study Design

This ancillary analysis used magnetic resonance imaging and urinary outcome data from the Defining Mechanisms of Anterior Vaginal Wall Descent Study conducted across 8 clinical sites within the United States Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. Eighty-two women (median age, 65 years) underwent transvaginal prolapse repair (vaginal mesh hysteropexy or vaginal hysterectomy with uterosacral ligament suspension) with or without a concurrent midurethral sling between April 2013 and February 2015. Postoperative imaging at rest and during strain was performed 30-42 months after surgery (or earlier if they chose reoperation) between June 2014 and May 2018. Prolapse recurrence, defined as descent beyond the vaginal introitus during strain, was recorded. The urethra was segmented from postoperative scans to create 3-dimensional models for measuring urethral diameters, length, surface area, volume, angles, shape (principal component scores from a statistical shape model), position, and mobility (rest-to-strain displacement). Preoperative and 24-48-month postoperative urinary continence outcomes were assessed using validated questionnaires: the Urogenital Distress Inventory, Urinary Impact Questionnaire, and the Incontinence Severity Index. Comparisons of urethral and urinary outcomes by (1) midurethral sling and (2) stress urinary incontinence were made using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, principal component analysis, and multivariate models as appropriate. Associations between urethral and urinary outcomes were evaluated with Spearman’s rank correlation.

Results

Forty-six women (22 hysteropexy, 24 hysterectomy) were in the sling group, and 36 (19 hysteropexy, 17 hysterectomy) were in the no-sling group. Among the 48 women without prolapse recurrence (28 sling, 20 no-sling), those with a sling (vs without) had larger urethral dimensions (all P<.03), a more anterior-superior position of the proximal urethra (indicating better bladder neck support) (P=.04), a straighter urethral shape (P=.006), and reported less bothersome postoperative stress incontinence (P=.02). Overall, 14 women (17%) experienced postoperative stress incontinence. Stress urinary incontinence was linked to a more acute proximal urethral sagittal angle (more aligned with axial plane) (P=.01), and a lower proximal urethra position (P=.04) and mid-urethra position (P=.03). Poorer stress and urgency urinary outcomes were associated with a shorter urethral length (P=.01), a more posterior-inferior urethral position (all P<.05), increased “C” or “S”-shaped urethral concavity (P=.008; P=.006), and smaller rest-to-strain displacement of the proximal (P=.03) and distal (P=.009) urethra.

Conclusions

Urethral morphology and support differed with concomitant midurethral sling (vs no sling) and stress urinary incontinence after vaginal surgery. Urethral characteristics were also associated with postoperative urinary symptoms. Urethral configuration may influence urinary outcomes and could be considered during prolapse and stress urinary incontinence repairs.

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