Promising impact of platelet rich plasma and carbon dioxide laser for stress urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety, feasibility and efficacy of trans-vaginal fractional micro-ablative CO(2) laser therapy in combination with platelet rich plasma (PRP) for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. STUDY DESIGN: Participants with SUI underwent three sessions of transvaginal CO(2) laser and PRP treatment, administered at 4-6-week intervals. Outcomes were assessed using the bladder function section of the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire (APFQ). The primary outcome was changes in the participants’ symptoms of SUI. Secondary outcomes were related to general bladder function. Outcome differences from baseline (T1) to 3 months (T2) and 12 months (T3) were analysed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Subjective verbal scales were used to assess the degree of pain associated with PRP injections and laser treatment. RESULTS: Sixty-two women with SUI were enrolled into this study. There were 66% (41/62) of participants who reported improved SUI symptoms from T1 to T2 (p < 0.001) and at T3, 62% (23/37) of patients reported improved SUI symptoms (p < 0.001). From T1 to T2, all bladder function variables were improved significantly (p < 0.002). At T3, significant improvements (p < 0.03) were maintained for all bladder function variables, except pad usage (p = 0.073). CONCLUSIONS: Combining transvaginal fractional CO(2) laser with PRP might be a beneficial treatment for SUI. It may have the potential to be a minimally-invasive and low-risk alternative to surgery, with reduced recovery time.