Lack of clinical data, however, will keep some from ever using them, According to Millennium Research Group

September 4, 2007—Waltham, Massachusetts—Millennium Research Group (MRG) conducted a detailed survey covering urology during the recent 2007 American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting. Results of this study are analyzed in the company’s US and European Urologist Survey: Emerging Technologies report. The information collected at the May conference concluded that 40% of US and European respondents currently not using mini vaginal slings anticipate adopting them in the next 2 years.

Mini-vaginal slings, recently introduced to the vaginal sling market, are used for the treatment of female urinary incontinence and have been said to speed up procedure times and patient recovery periods because they require fewer incisions than currently available fixationless vaginal slings. Additionally, these slings do not require the insertion of long introducer needles through the abdominal wall or near critical nerves, blood vessels, or body organs, which helps to lower the risk of accidental bladder perforation or damage to surrounding organs.

“Adoption of this technology should slowly, but surely, grow over the next few years,” says Barbara Prud’homme, senior analyst at Millennium Research Group. “Over 28% of US urologists and 32% of European urologists plan to adopt this technology in the next year. The primary limiter of adoption rates is a lack of supporting clinical data, though this factor is expected to diminish as further studies are completed.”

MRG’s US and European Urologist Survey: Emerging Technologies report examines physician opinions about some of the industry’s most discussed technologies, including digital flexiblescopes, mini vaginal slings, and the photoselective vaporization of the prostate.