Use of bone anchors in female urology

Stress urinary incontinence remains one of the most prevalent conditions encountered by urologists. In many cases, surgical correction of this condition is carried out using a pubovaginal sling procedure. Bone anchors were initially used in transvaginal needle suspension procedures to improve stabilization of the bladder neck. This technology has been extended to sling procedures, allowing completion of these procedures by an entirely transvaginal approach. Early results of these procedures are encouraging, and overall morbidity appears much less when compared with conventional pubovaginal sling procedures. In this article, the application of bone anchors in female urology is reviewed. Techniques of pubovaginal sling and abdominal sacrocolpopexy using bone anchors and potential complications of bone anchor implantation are discussed. Surgeons performing procedures for the treatment of stress incontinence should be aware of the benefits and potential risks of bone anchor implantation.