Purpose: Mid-urethral slings are the standard treatment for women with refractory stress urinary incontinence (SUI) but are at risk of infection or erosion due to host-prothesis interaction. In this proof-of-concept study, we aimed at evaluating umbilical vessel sling (UVS) in incontinent female rats.
Material and methods: UVS was extracted from human umbilical cord lining and was placed on female rats who underwent bilateral pelvic nerve injury (PNI) to reproduce SUI (Group 3, N = 10). Two control groups were also studied: rats with no PNI (Group 1, N = 4) and rats with PNI but no UVS (Group 2, N = 10). Micturition calendar was frequently recorded using a metabolic cage, and leak point pressure (LPP) test was performed on Day 28. After the LPP test, rats were euthanized, and bladder/urethra were collected for histopathological analysis.
Results: Overall, 24 rats were included, of whom 10 had both PNI and UVS placement. Compared with Group 2, Group 3 had increased maximal LPP but the difference did not reach significance (respectively 21.8 ± 2.1 mmHg vs. 28.4 ± 4.1 mmHg, p = 0.2). Micturition frequencies were similar between the groups. Total voided volume was higher in Group 3 at the end of the study compared with Group 2 (12.5 ± 1.1 ml vs. 9.4 ± 0.6 ml, respectively, p < 0.05). Histopathological findings evidenced a good local tolerance and a moderate to high tissue integration of the UVS.
Conclusions: Biological sling derived from human umbilical vessel could be safely placed with a slight improvement of LPP in a population of rats who had bilateral PNI without major modification of micturition calendar. UVS could be a promising biomaterial in the management of SUI in women. Clinical studies are needed.
Keywords: stress urinary incontinence; suburethral slings; tissue engineering; urodynamics.
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