If you’re considering surgery as a means of recovery from Stress Urinary Incontinence, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Even surgery has failure rates, meaning that your leaking problem may not entirely go away. Listing the pros & cons of any and all available solutions, from exercises to surgery, is a good way to start
- Understand the risks and possible complications, especially long term post-op.
- A Pelvic Floor Mesh or Transvaginal Mesh is the typical recommended surgical solution. A small piece of mesh is inserted through the vagina and sewn into pelvic floor ligaments and vaginal tissue.
- In the United States, the FDA has labeled the Pelvic Mesh as a ‘high-risk’ medical device and there are several ongoing lawsuits from women who have had the device implanted
- In Canada, there are several ongoing class action lawsuits against manufacturers of Transvaginal Mesh devices, relating to the complications associated with their products. This article from the Globe and Mail highlights some of the issues around surgical mesh procedures that go awry.
- Despite the risks and ongoing lawsuits the pelvic floor mesh is widely viewed as the best solution for surgical repair, and it’s the standard surgical solution due to it’s high success rates. The surgery is less invasive than alternative surgeries and allows women to be treated and return home the same day.
When discussing options for Stress Urinary Incontinence recovery, the urinary health specialist I visited made me aware of the ongoing lawsuits while at the same time identifying the mesh as the most common and likely surgical solution, should I decide to go ahead with surgery. The bottom line from at least one healthcare professional: do your research, ask questions, and understand the risks.
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