Interstitial cystitis.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is still considered a rare disease, but in the future its incidence will probably be revised if tendency is that of considering interstitial cystitis on the basis of clinical rather than endoscopic-histological criteria. According to some urologists, cystodistension and vesical biopsy, even if not pathognomonic, are still effective up till now, at least for their prognostic-therapeutic value as well. If on one hand in the diagnosis of this condition symptoms tend to be of more and more value unlike instrumental investigations, on the other hand little has changed in therapy.

Pubo-vaginal sling.

The Authors discuss their experience in the use of pubo-vaginal sling in the treatment of female urinary stress incontinence. In the last 5 years (1997-2002) 35 patients with type 3 incontinence underwent pubo-vaginal sling with rectus fascia or porcine skin. Healing was obtained in 74.2%, de novo urgency in 5.7%, obstruction in 8.5% and persisting incontinence in 11.4% of cases. The developments of the technique have recently turned pubo-vaginal sling into a minimally invasive procedure with low morbidity. Its indications have therefore been extended to the point that it is now considered by many authors as the treatment of choice in any type of incontinence, whether associated with genital prolapse or not.