USANZ Supports Pause on Mesh Stress Urinary Incontinence Surgery in New Zealand

23rd August 2023 

The Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ), the peak membership organisation for urological surgeons and other health professionals in the field of Urology supports New Zealand's decision to immediately pause mesh stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery in the best interests of patient safety.

The following statement can be attributed to USANZ Female Urological Advisory Group, Deputy Chair Sandra Elmer. 

"USANZ acknowledges the immediate pause on mesh sling procedures for management of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in New Zealand. 

USANZ understands that this pause has been put in place to allow strengthening of clinical governance for patient safety. Specifically, to complete NZ credentialing of surgeons who can perform mesh SUI procedures, to implement a pelvic floor registry and to develop robust multi-disciplinary team meetings to ensure safe and appropriate treatment of NZ women considering mesh SUI surgery.  

USANZ supports New Zealand's decision to immediately pause mesh SUI surgery in the best interests of patient safety.

Many learned international professional societies have in place position statements portending the relative safety and effectiveness of, and advocating for the continued availability of, the mesh mid-urethral sling as a management option for SUI. 

USANZ has a position statement regarding the relative safety and effectiveness of mid-urethral slings with appropriate clinical governance. 

We support the ongoing use and availability of mid-urethral slings in Australia where significant improvements in clinical governance have occurred since 2018. 

In Australia, the enhanced clinical governance includes: credentialing under guidelines of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, discussion of cases at multidisciplinary team meetings, informed consent and monitoring of patient outcomes using the national Australian Pelvic Floor Procedures Registry (APFPR).”

ENDS

About The Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand:
The Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand is the peak professional body for urological surgeons in Australia and New Zealand. Urologists are surgeons who treat men, women and children with problems involving the kidney, bladder, prostate and male reproductive organs. These conditions include cancer, stones, infection, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic floor problems.

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Download a PDF of the Media Release: USANZ Supports Pause on Mesh Stress Urinary Incontinence Surgery in New Zealand