LOVE Trial: Limits On Vaginal Intercourse After Mid-urEthral Sling (LOVE)

Limits On Vaginal Intercourse After Mid-urEthral Sling (LOVE Trial)

There are no prospective, randomized studies addressing vaginal penetration restrictions following mid-urethral slings. There is a single cohort study examining expedited recovery following vaginal prolapse repair which advised 3-weeks of vaginal penetration restrictions. This study reported an earlier return to intercourse in the 3-week group than in the retrospectively collected control group where 6-weeks of restriction were advised. This study did not evaluate the impact of early versus later return to sexual activity on wound complications, mesh exposure rates, pain or satisfaction.

It is important to develop evidenced-based recommendations on post-operative sexual activity restrictions.

The purpose of this research study is to understand if the "standard" 6-week restriction on vaginal penetration/intercourse after mid-urethral sling affects patient satisfaction

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Patient Satisfaction; Female Sexual Dysfunction
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Standard restriction recommendation; Behavioral: Early restriction release

Detailed Description

The lifetime risk of surgery for stress urinary incontinence in women is 13.6%. Women are typically instructed to avoid strenuous physical activity and vaginal penetration for 6 weeks following synthetic mid-urethral sling procedures. The historical rationale behind these instructions was to prevent disruption of vaginal incisions, promote wound healing, decrease recurrence risk and prevent complications such as mesh exposure. Very little medical evidence exists, however, to support these activity restrictions which can have a negative impact on satisfaction and quality of life. Findings from a single randomized trial challenge standard activity restrictions following pelvic organ prolapse repair. Participants were given conservative or liberal postoperative instructions and the liberal group experienced fewer prolapse and urinary symptoms at 3 months postoperatively; but there was no difference in satisfaction between groups. This study, however, did not investigate restrictions on vaginal penetration (both groups adhered to 6-week restrictions) and was not specific to women undergoing isolated sling procedures. There are no prospective, randomized studies addressing vaginal penetration restrictions following mid-urethral slings. There is a single cohort study examining expedited recovery following vaginal prolapse repair which advised 3-weeks of vaginal penetration restrictions. This study reported an earlier return to intercourse in the 3-week group than in the retrospectively collected control group where 6-weeks of restriction were advised. This study did not evaluate the impact of early versus later return to sexual activity on wound complications, mesh exposure rates, pain or satisfaction.

Animal models suggest that wound healing occurs much sooner than 6 weeks post-surgery. In fact, epithelial wounds closed by primary intention typically re-epithelialize in just 24-48 hours. In a mouse-model with full-thickness vaginal injury, there was complete restoration of mucosal integrity by day 7 without surgical closure of the wound. Epithelial healing over mid-urethral sling could differ due to a known pro-inflammatory milieu in the setting of a mesh implant but the rate of epithelial closure over implanted synthetic mesh has not been specifically described. While earlier vaginal penetration could theoretically increase the risk of mesh exposure from the known baseline risk of 2-3%, this is unlikely following two weeks in a low risk population regardless of menopausal status. Vaginal atrophy has been identified as a risk factor for wound healing complications and vaginal mesh exposure and could interact with early resumption of intercourse. However, vaginal atrophy can be reversed with vaginal estrogen therapy and resultant risks mitigated.

Given the prevalence of mid-urethral slings for stress incontinence, it is important to develop evidenced-based recommendations on post-operative sexual activity restrictions. The purpose of this randomized trial, therefore, is to evaluate the impact of early (2 weeks) versus standard (6 weeks) removal of vaginal penetration restrictions in sexually active women undergoing mid-urethral sling procedures on sexual satisfaction and wound complications.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 116
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Catherine A Matthews, MD; Phone Number: 336-716-4310; Email: camatthe@wakehealth.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Katherine N Hines, MD; Phone Number: 803-622-1671; Email: knhines@wakehealth.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Illinois
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
      • Northwestern Medicine
  • North Carolina
    • Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, 28207
      • Atrium Health
    • Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 27157
      • Wake Forest Health Sciences

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 21 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• At least 21years of age
• Women with stress or mixed urinary incontinence who are undergoing a planned, isolated, synthetic mid-urethral sling with cystoscopy via retropubic, transobturator or single-incision approach.
• Sexually active with ≥1 male or female partner with a frequency of at least once every 2 weeks
• Ability to comprehend the concept of randomization
• Willing to remain compliant with the instructions and study follow-up visits

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of prior surgery for incontinence including mid-urethral sling, fascial sling
• History of prior surgery for prolapse with transvaginal mesh
• Diabetic with Hgb A1C ≥ 8.0 % (elevated A1C is associated with delayed wound healing12 and 8.0 has been identified as a cutoff over which there are more complications postoperatively13
• Pregnant
• Incarcerated
• History of pelvic radiation
• Current smoker (known risk factor for mesh exposure)
• Non-English speaker

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: Standard Group; Participants may resume vaginal penetration at 6 weeks.	Behavioral: Standard restriction recommendation; Participants will return to intercourse after 6 weeks
Other: Early Group; Participants may resume intercourse at 2 weeks	Behavioral: Early restriction release; Participants will no longer have restrictions on vaginal penetration 2 weeks after surgery.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Participant satisfaction rating	To determine if there is improved satisfaction with decreased length of restricted vaginal penetration following mid-urethral sling. The primary outcome will be patient satisfaction with ability to return to sexual function as measured on a 5-point Likert scale with the question: "How satisfied were you with your ability to return to vaginal penetration following surgery?" (1) Strongly disagree; (2) Disagree; (3) Neither agree nor disagree; (4) Agree; (5) Strongly agree	week 12

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of days until resumption of vaginal penetration		week 12
Number of Wound complications - wound separation	To determine if there are increased wound complications in patients following isolated mid-urethral sling with shorter duration of restrictions on vaginal penetration.	week 12
Number of Wound complications - mesh exposure	To determine if there are increased wound complications in patients following isolated mid-urethral sling with shorter duration of restrictions on vaginal penetration.	week 12
Number of Wound complications - mesh erosion	To determine if there are increased wound complications in patients following isolated mid-urethral sling with shorter duration of restrictions on vaginal penetration.	week 12
Number of Wound complications - granulation tissue	To determine if there are increased wound complications in patients following isolated mid-urethral sling with shorter duration of restrictions on vaginal penetration.	week 12
Number of Wound complications - vaginal pain	To determine if there are increased wound complications in patients following isolated mid-urethral sling with shorter duration of restrictions on vaginal penetration.	week 12
Urinary incontinence	To determine if there is similar continence in patients who resume intercourse early vs standard following isolated mid-urethral sling	week 12

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Catherine A Matthews, MD, Wake Forest Health Sciences

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 16, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 17, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 17, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): December 23, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 28, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 26, 2023
• Last Verified: September 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: mid-urethral sling
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB00070386

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No