[Urinary incontinence in myelodysplastic children, what is the role of the bladder neck "sling"?].

OBJECTIVE

The selection of patients amenable to treatment with a bladder neck sling remains a controversy. In this paper we review our experience with this technique and describe our patient selection criteria.

METHODS

Since 1991, 30 patients (24 females and 6 males) aged 4 to 20 years (mean 10) received a bladder neck sling as part of the surgical treatment for their urinary incontinence. The cause of incontinence was neurogenic in 28 of the 30 patients. The 6 male patients were prepuberal. All patients had a preoperative video urodynamic study. The criteria for increasing cervico-urethral resistance included a passive leak point pressure of < 50 cm H2O, stress leak point pressure of < 100 cm H2O, radiological evidence of an open bladder neck and stress incontinence regardless of the other urodynamic and radiologic parameters. The technical aspects of the procedure are described in detail. Augmentation cystoplasty was performed concomitantly in 29 patients.

RESULTS

Patient follow-up ranged from 2 to 70 months (mean 37.6). Twenty-eight patients (93%) were continent postoperatively. Two female patients remained incontinent at low leak point pressures. All patients emptied the bladder by intermittent catheterization. Twelve patients perform catheterization through the urethra without difficulty.

CONCLUSION

The rectus fascia sling has several advantages over other surgical methods for increasing the cervico-urethral resistance. It is simple, effective, low-cost and has a low complication rate. In our view, the sling is the technique of choice for increasing cervico-urethral resistance in female and prepuberal male patients requiring a cystoplasty concomitantly.