Sometimes women with symptoms of stress incontinence or overactive bladder are unresponsive to conservative treatment.
Surgery may be an option when conservative measures have been ineffective, and incontinence continues to disrupt a woman’s life.
In comparison to many other therapies, urinary incontinence surgery is more invasive and has a higher risk of complications. However, it can also offer long-lasting relief in severe cases. The surgical options available to a patient will depend on the type of urinary incontinence that they have.
A majority of options for urinary incontinence surgery treat stress incontinence. But low-risk surgical options are available for other bladder issues, including an overactive bladder, also known as an urgency-frequency syndrome or urge incontinence.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Paul McCluskey provides vaginal surgery to patients in Atlanta, Buckhead, Georgia, and surrounding locations.
Things to Consider
Prior to undergoing urinary incontinence surgery, the patient should:
Get a Correct Diagnosis
Various types of incontinence necessitate different surgical approaches. The doctor might refer the patient to an incontinence specialist, urologist, or urogynecologist for further diagnostic assessment.
Think about your Plans for having Children
The doctor might recommend waiting for surgery until the patient has finished childbearing. The strain of pregnancy and childbirth on the
urethra, bladder, and supportive tissues might reverse the advantages of a surgical fix.
Understand that Surgery only Addresses the Issue it is Meant to Treat
Surgery is not a cure for all urinary incontinence. For example, in case a patient suffers from mixed incontinence (a combination of overactive bladder and stress incontinence) surgery might improve their stress incontinence but not overactive bladder. They might need drugs and physical therapy following surgery to treat overactive bladder.
Sling Procedures to treat Stress Incontinence
Most surgical treatments for stress incontinence can be categorized as sling procedures and bladder neck suspension procedures.
In a sling procedure, the surgeon uses strips of synthetic mesh, the patient’s own tissue, or at times, animal or donor tissue to make a sling or “hammock” under the tube that takes urine from the bladder (urethra) or the region of dense muscle where the bladder attaches to the urethra (bladder neck). The sling offers support to the urethra and helps it remain closed, particularly when the patient sneezes or coughs so that there is no leakage of urine.
The condition of the patient determines which sling procedure is most suitable for them. Discussing the risks and advantages of each type of sling procedure with the surgeon can help the patient make a well-considered decision.
Suspension Procedures to treat Stress Incontinence
A bladder neck suspension fortifies the urethra and bladder neck. This controls the sagging and offers something for the urethra to press against to prevent urine leakage.
In this procedure, the surgeon places an incision in the lower abdomen and undertakes the surgery through tiny incisions using narrow instruments and a video camera (laparoscopic surgery). The surgeon will secure the sutures (stitches) in the tissue near the bladder neck.
The patient will need general or spinal anesthesia for bladder neck suspension undertaken abdominally. The healing will take several weeks, and the patient may need to use a urinary catheter until they can urinate normally. In the case of laparoscopic surgery, the recovery process is likely to be faster and easier.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Paul McCluskey receives patients from Atlanta, Buckhead, Georgia, and nearby areas for vaginal rejuvenation.
For more information on procedures and treatments offered by Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Paul McCluskey and the Plastic Surgery Institute of Atlanta, visit:
Serving patients in and around Atlanta, Buckhead, Roswell, Marietta, Georgia and surrounding areas.