Evaluation and management of urinary retention after a suburethral sling procedure in women

Suburethral slings have become the most commonly offered surgical procedure for the correction of stress urinary incontinence in women. Overcorrection of urethral angle or exaggerated applied tension may lead to urethral obstruction, causing complete urinary retention or obstructive voiding symptoms. Acute urinary retention usually indicates immediate surgical intervention. Conversely, obstructive voiding symptoms after a sling procedure require a more thorough evaluation to plan the most appropriate therapy. Different operative procedures ranging from urethrolysis to midline sling incision have been described with high success rates and a small risk of recurrent stress urinary incontinence.