Impact of Single-Incision Sling Placement on Female Sexual Function in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common condition among women of childbearing age, often requiring surgical intervention. The midurethral sling (MUS), including first-generation tension-free vaginal tapes (TVT) and second-generation transobturator tapes (TOT, TVT-O), has long been the standard treatment. However, both approaches have associated risks, prompting the development of single-incision slings (SIS) as a third option. SIS have proven their efficacy in SUI treatment, but the impact of these slings on female sexual function specifically remains underexplored. A literature search was conducted using PubMed using the keywords “stress urinary incontinence,” “midurethral slings,” “single-incision slings,” “female sexual function,” and “dyspareunia.” The reviewed studies demonstrated that SIS generally maintain or improve sexual function postoperatively, but with varying impact on specific aspects of sexual function. While coital urinary incontinence often improved or resolved, new or worsened dyspareunia was reported in a significant number of patients. SIS placement for SUI generally preserves or enhances sexual function, though individual aspects, such as dyspareunia, may worsen for some patients. Given that an important goal of SUI treatment is to improve quality of life, it is crucial to identify preoperative factors that will identify patients at risk of developing dyspareunia after surgery or are more likely to experience an improvement in sexual function. Further research is needed to better understand these predictors and optimize surgical outcomes for women undergoing SUI treatment with SIS.