Small intestinal submucosa xenograft to manage lower urinary tract prostheses perforation: a new path?

Tapes for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and meshes for pelvic organ prolapse can result in postoperative complications, such as urethral (UP) or bladder (BP) perforations. Martius fat pad (MFP) is an historic procedure, widely used to treat lower urinary tract (LUT) fistulae. We report our experience with the insertion of the biological small intestinal submucosa (SIS) xenograft as an alternative to MFP in these prosthetic complications.

We conducted a retrospective, monocentric study which included all patients who underwent SIS insertion during surgical removal of tape/vaginal mesh for UP or BP from 2011 to 2019. Preoperative assessment was based on history, symptoms, physical examination and urethrocystoscopy. Primary outcome was successful repair defined as absence of any LUT defect. Secondary outcomes were complications, LUT symptoms, pain and additional SUI surgical procedures.

Thirty-eight patients were included. Twenty-six had a UP and eight a BP. In four cases, perforation involved both the bladder neck and urethra. All LUT defects were cured. Six postoperative complications were reported (five of grade ≤ 2 and one of grade 3b according to the Clavien-Dindo classification). At the mean follow-up of 37.2 (range 6-98) months, 14 patients (36.8%) presenting a postoperative SUI underwent a SUI surgical procedure and 1 patient had a laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for cystocele recurrence.

Absorbable SIS xenograft is an effective and safe graft for the management of lower urinary tract tape and mesh perforations. The cost has to be balanced with the good results, short operative time and no fat pad complications as in MFP.