Mesh sling arm removal for persistent pain after an initial vaginal suburethral mesh Sling removal procedure

Objectives: Pain is a recognized complication of mid-urethral slings (MUS), which may lead to suburethral sling removal (SSR) alone, or to a more extensive removal approach. We report on the outcomes of women who required an SSR or an additional secondary MUS arm removal for pain only. Methods: After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, the charts of nonneurogenic women who underwent SSR for pain only were reviewed. Demographic information, MUS type, self-reported pain resolution, and preoperative and postoperative questionnaires, including Urogenital Distress Inventory-Short form question 6 (UDI-6 Q6) scores, were collected for the SSR (group 1) and secondary removal (group 2) groups. Results: Of 52 women who underwent SSR for pain only between 2005 and 2018, 16 (31%) required a secondary procedure to remove the extension arms due to persistent pain after SSR. All women in group 2 experienced pain immediately after SSR (UDI-6 Q6 score of 2 to 3). Patients whose pain improved after SSR presented at a median 61 months after MUS whereas those in group 2 underwent SSR at median 34 months after MUS. Median duration of follow-up in group 2, after the secondary procedure, was 34 months. Over one half of those in group 2 (54%) noticed pain cure/improvement. Seven were left with persistent pain. Conclusions: In women who underwent SSR for pain only, 67% reported pain resolution. An additional procedure to remove the extension arms of the mesh was performed in one third of women for persistent pain after SSR.