C-Clamp Technique: A Retrospective Review of a Novel Technique to Prevent Bladder Injury in Retropubic Midurethral Slings

Abstract

Importance Synthetic mesh midurethral slings have become the criterion-standard treatment for stress urinary incontinence with urethral hypermobility in women. Iatrogenic bladder injury is a known risk of the procedure. Objective Our objective was to show that a novel "C-clamp technique" can significantly reduce the risk of bladder and urethral injury at the time of bottom-up retropubic synthetic mesh midurethral sling placement. Study Design We conducted a retrospective review of the electronic medical records using Current Procedural Terminology coding of a single surgeon who performed synthetic mesh midurethral slings. Medical records were reviewed for demographic and clinical data for all bottom-up retropubic synthetic mesh midurethral slings placed using a novel C-clamp technique. All operative reports were reviewed for bladder and urethral injury at the time of implantation of the synthetic mesh midurethral sling using the C-clamp technique. Results Two hundred one consecutive bottom-up retropubic synthetic mesh midurethral slings were placed using the C-clamp technique from April 2012 through June 2022. The average age was 51 years (29-86 years); the average weight was 82 kg (46 -139 kg); and the average body mass index was 31 kg/m 2 (15-57 kg/m 2 ). No patients sustained a bladder or urethral injury at the time of implantation of a retropubic synthetic mesh midurethral sling using the C-clamp technique. Conclusion The novel C-clamp technique shows promise in eliminating the risk of iatrogenic bladder and urethral injury at the time of implanting a bottom-up retropubic synthetic mesh midurethral sling.