"I didn't realize that incontinence treatments are so effective. I am curious to learn more about the sling procedure. It's minimally invasive and I should be home soon after the procedure. I'm ready to put my experience with incontinence behind me." - Maria

Let's be honest. Leaking urine is humiliating and stressful. If you're not worried about leaking through your pants, then you're concerned the smell will give you away. You and women like you (and there are many millions of women with incontinence) may be unaware that in most cases, stress urinary incontinence can be treated.

To find out what the best treatment is for you, be open and honest with your doctor. Research shows that in the majority of conversations between women and doctors regarding incontinence, women initiated the dialogue.¹

Your doctor will evaluate the severity of your incontinence and advise you on a treatment plan. Some women choose to manage their symptoms with reduced fluid intake and absorbent pads and diapers. Others want to restore continence. You will find treatments for both approaches here.

1 Diokno AC, Burgio K, Fultz NH, Kinchen KS, Obenchain R, Bump RC. Medical and self-care practices reported by women with urinary incontinence. American journal of managed care (United States) Feb 2004, 10 (2 Pt 1) p 69-78

Treatments to Help You Manage Symptoms

• Behavior Therapies—This treatment option teaches you to control your bladder and sphincter muscles by decreasing fluid intake and scheduling voiding.
• Pelvic Muscle Exercises—Commonly called Kegels, these exercises strengthen weak muscles surrounding the bladder.
• Protective Undergarments—Absorbent products such as pads, liners, undergarments and diapers absorb urine that has leaked from the bladder.
• Catheter—An indwelling catheter that is left in place 24 hours a day continually collects urine in an external drainage bag.
• Pessary Device—This stiff ring is inserted into the vagina where it presses against the wall of the vagina and the urethra. The pressure helps reposition the urethra, preventing leakage.
• Bulking Injections—A bulk-producing agent, such as collagen, is injected to bulk up the urethral lining so the urethra can close more tightly.
• Medication—There are medications available to treat urge incontinence; however, there presently are no medicines to treat stress incontinence. If your doctor determines you have mixed incontinence (stress and urge), you may find drug therapy helpful in addressing your urge incontinence.

Treatments Designed to Restore Continence

• Urethral Support Sling—The sling is one of today's most successful surgical procedures for stress urinary incontinence. In less than an hour on an outpatient basis, a physician places a mesh "hammock" under your urethra to give it a point of support. The mesh functions much like a hammock that your urethra rests on to prevent urine leakage.
  

The mesh is made of a narrow strip of loosely woven strands of polypropylene. It is porous so your body tissues can grow into it to provide support. (It can be reassuring to learn that surgical mesh has been used to treat urinary incontinence since 1965, and hundreds of thousands of sling procedures have been performed since that time.)

Best of all, placement of a sling is a minimally invasive procedure. It is performed on an outpatient basis in less than an hour. Local, regional or general anesthesia can be used, depending on what you and your doctor choose.

You may be able to return home in just a few hours after the procedure is complete. Your incisions will be small and should heal quickly.

Studies report patients have shown improvement in urinary incontinence with sling systems. One study of an AMS sling showed more than 95% of patients remained completely dry and did not need any protection following the procedure.²

Sling procedures are not recommended for everyone. You should talk with your doctor about benefits and risks before moving forward with any treatment option. For more information on risks, click here.

For more information on urethral support slings, visit www.AmericanMedicalSystems.com.

2 Queimadelos MA, Cimadevilla GA, Lema GJ, Rodrigues NH, Perez FD, Lamas CP. Monarc transobturator suburethral sling: eighteen months' experience, ICS/IUGA, France 2004 abstract 559

Sling procedures require surgery and are not recommended for everyone, especially if you are pregnant, or have a blood coagulation disorder, a compromised immune system, renal insufficiency or upper urinary tract obstruction. Inflammation and irritation may occur after surgery. Future pregnancies can cause you to become incontinent again. You should talk with your doctor about benefits and risks before moving forward with any treatment option.