The use of bladder slings have reportedly become increasingly popular over the last decade as surgical treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence – gynecological problems that have been found with higher prevalence in women, than in men, medical researchers say. For many years, these implants have been highly sought-after as they have been reported to bring promising results in patients who may have had a successful surgical procedure. But as treatments are known to bear their own distinct risks, bladder slings have also been reportedly linked to an increasing number of complaints from women who have had a first-hand experience of the harmful effects linked to these medical devices.

SUI is the most common type of urinary incontinence in women, manifested by accidental urinary leaks that occur from activities that cause a sudden extra pressure within the abdomen and on the bladder including coughing, sneezing, or laughing, as was cited by medical journals. It is a urinary problem that strikes as many as 25 million people in the United States, commonly found in women. On the other hand, POP is a condition characterized by slipping out a woman’s pelvic organs from its natural position, causing them to press against the vaginal wall. Both problems are greatly affected by risk factors including age, and the number of children a woman has given birth to. The development of SUI and POP has also been attributed to factors including obesity and history of surgery in the pelvis such as hysterectomy.
 

Despite the availability of more conservative treatment options, surgical mesh or bladder sling implants have been reportedly most commonly utilized especially in women with severe symptoms than others. However, as they have been seen to work in many patients, post-surgical complications from bladder slings have also been reported to occur. Most of the injuries described were varying degrees of pain and discomfort in the pelvic area, necessitating one or more corrective surgeries. Some of the serious complications associated with the use of bladder slings include the device’s tendency to erode into nearby organs, pain in the pelvic area, painful sexual intercourse, infection, urinary problems, bleeding, and organ perforation, according to the United States Food and Drug Administration. The agency advises patients to learn more about the risks associated with bladder sling devices.