M.A.
J.,
.... have you tried prescription medication? You're right, the mini sling is new but studies involving these types of procedures tend to be exhaustive prior to approval and release into the market. Also, it is not very complicated in terms of function since it is simply an anatomical support, rather than something that affects your body's chemical composition, like hormones, for example.
You sound really informed but try this anyway from
http://incontinence.researchtoday.net/about-incontinence.htm
Mini-Sling
The mini-sling procedure was released in the United States in late 2006 by Gynecare/Johnson and Johnson under the name of TVT-Secure. The initial results of this method were presented in the beginning of 2007 at the International Urogynecology Meeting and were not as promising as hoped. The reported short term cure rates of the TVT-Secure ranged from 67% to 83%, much lower than the existing TVT and TOT slings. In March 2007, AMS released the most recent mini-sling to the market called the Mini-Arc which has several improvements over the Secure sling. The Mini Arc sling procedure is latest and least invasive treatment for stress urinary incontinence. The 5-10-minute procedure utilizes the same concepts of the tension-free tape mid-urethral slings, but involves a single incision [16].
The mini arc sling procedure has displayed a 92.3% cure rate and reduces the risk of bowel injury, bladder injury, and major bleeding because it bypasses retropubic needle passage altogether[17]. In the most recent trial headed by Dr. Robert D. Moore, no complications were noted and no patients reported any pain at the site of the sling at follow-up[18].
