Implantation of a synthetic midurethral sling (SMUS) is the most commonly performed anti-incontinence operation in women worldwide. The effectiveness of the SMUS is comparable to that of the historical gold standards--autologous fascial slings and the Burch colposuspension. Much controversy, however, has evolved regarding the safety of this type of sling. Overall, the quality of the studies with respect to assessing risks of SMUS-associated complications is currently poor. The most common risks in patients with SMUS include urethral obstruction requiring surgery (2.3% of patients with SMUS), vaginal, bladder and/or urethral erosion requiring surgery (1.8%) and refractory chronic pain (4.1%); these data likely represent the minimum risks. In addition, the failure rate of SMUS implantation surgery is probably at least 5% in patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Furthermore, at least one-third of patients undergoing sling excision surgery develop recurrent SUI. Considering the additional risks of refractory overactive bladder, fistulas and bowel perforations, among others, the overall risk of a negative outcome after SMUS implantation surgery is ≥15%.

With careful attention to surgical principles and technique, including removal of as much of the adjacent mesh as possible, a successful outcome can be achieved in most patients with a fistula secondary to mid urethral sling surgery.

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Solitary fibrous tumours (SFTs) are rare tumours arising from mesenchymal tissues. Despite of their more frequent occurrence in the pleura, SFT can present anywhere in the body. Only a few cases have been described arising from the mesentery. Most tumours have a benign nature; however, up to 20% of them can spread, most commonly to liver, lung and bone. Surgical excision including all surrounding tissues remains the treatment of choice; however, there is no consensus regarding the need for adjuvant therapies. We present a 79-year-old man with abdominal pain who was found to have a SFT in the mesentery of the sigmoid colon, treated with en bloc resection. A multidisciplinary team including surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists is recommended in the care of these patients.

Multiple procedures have been developed since the early beginnings of bariatric surgery in the 1950s. Some outcome measures used to evaluate success in bariatric surgery include percentage of excess weight loss, length of hospital stay, and resolution of comorbid diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and obstructive sleep apnoea. Surgery is considered successful for an individual patient if he or she loses more than 50% of their excess weight and resolves preoperative comorbid conditions.