The role of fascial slings in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women: A 2013 update

During the last decade, a variety of commercial innovations in synthetic sling materials have emerged as a result of an evolution in the understanding of the pathophysiology of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and a push to less invasive surgical approaches. The advent of midurethral slings (MUS), with their relative ease of placement, has modernized and become the most commonly used technique for treatment of SUI. Nevertheless, this innovative technology has been associated with complications not previously associated with anti-incontinence procedures. In this article, we review the current literature regarding the use, indications, and efficacy of pubovaginal fascial slings (PVS) in the era of expanding synthetic sling use.