Shore-up a novel technique with tensor threads in women with stress urinary incontinence: a pilot study.

Background: Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) commonly affects women's quality of life. The widespread recommendation of using non-absorbable meshes has delayed a more definitive surgical solution. Newer, less invasive biomaterial treatments show promise.

Objective: To describe and evaluate a new urethrosuspension technique called "shore-up", performed with APTOS® resorbable tensor threads made of polylactic acid and polycaprolactone and coated with hyaluronic acid on an outpatient procedure.

Design: pilot study.

Participants: 32 women with diagnosed SUI, unresponsive to conservative treatment.

Settings: HM IMI Clinic, Toledo, Spain.

Method: Patients were examined first and then asked to fill a validated questionnaires (Sandvick and ISCQ SF) at different times - before and at 1, 2, 6 and 12 months after the procedure. A blinded analysis of the results was conducted.

Results: Women with SUI of different degrees: mild (3/32), moderate (19/32), severe (8/32) and very severe (2/32) showed a significant improvement (p<0,05) in scores on both tests. After 12 months, a success rate of 72% (23/32) without SUI was observed, 16% with mild (5/32) and 12% with moderate SUI (4/32). None of the patients required hospitalization or postsurgical assistance, and the most frequent complications were extrusion of the final thread end through the vagina in 33% (9/32), transient dyspareunia in 6% (4/31) and early suture dehiscence in 6% (2/32).

Conclusion: The shore-up technique is a promising, minimally invasive option for managing SUI in women, offering high efficacy, safety, and patient satisfaction.

Limitations: This is a small study, and further research is recommended to confirm these findings. Ethic code 23.02.2155-GHM.