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Mesh Complication Case Study #15

TVT Sling Complication - Vaginal, Urethral, Left-sided inguinal, Thigh and Labia Pain

Surgery:  TVT sling  (Lynx – Boston Scientific)

Symptoms:  Vaginal pain, urethral pain, Left sided inguinal, thigh and labia pain

Surgery:  Vaginal & Laparoscopic approach to complete removal of TVT sling

Patient is a 39 year old female who presented to Dr Miklos and Moore with left sided inguinal, left labia and left sided inner thigh pain x 5 weeks.  She had undergone surgery only 5 weeks prior in  Colorado where she underwent surgery by a Urogynecologist. 

Her original surgery included:

TVH (total vaginal hysterectomy)
Uterosacral vault suspension
TVT sling

Her symptoms 5 weeks after surgery:

The original surgeon’s operative report revealed the bladder was punctured using the TVT needle at the time of delivery of the TVT sling on the patients left side.  (Comment:  this is not an unusual intra- operative complication and rarely causes any problems post operatively – John R Miklos, MD). The surgeon then states she moved the needle further lateral to the initial site of the TVT needle puncture (ie further left) to avoid puncturing the bladder again. 

Dr. Miklos and Moore explained to the patient it is common to be able to remove the sling without much trauma at 4 – 6 weeks after surgery.  This surgery can usually be performed by making a small incision in the vagina underneath the area of the recently placed TVT, dissecting the sling away from the urethra, grasping the sling and just pulling it out.  However after this time the scar tissue is so significant the surgeon must now approach through incisions in the abdomen and the sling must be dissected away from all of the newly formed scar tissue which is now securing the sling in place behind the pubic bone and up into the abdominal wall.   

TVT Sling Removed

Dr. Miklos & Moore attempted removal from below and found the sling was so severely scarred in place they needed to convert to a laparoscopic approach (mini incisions) and removed the sling from above.  (FIGURE 1)  The surgery took approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes the patient spent the night in the hospital and subsequently discharged the next day.  She returned to Colorado 72 hours after surgery.  On the first day after surgery the patient already felt an improvement in the tension and pressure inside of her vagina.  She continues to do well following the surgery.


Call now for a confidential consultation with Carrie • Atlanta: (770) 475-0862 • Beverly Hills (310) 776-7588