| Study | Reason for exclusion |
|---|---|
| Al‐Tayyem 2007 | Not an RCT |
| Amat 2007 | Sling apparently equivalent to TVT, but too little information provided to determine equivalence |
| Ballert 2010 | Not an RCT |
| Bekker 2009 | Sexual function analysis of 2 retrospective studies (not RCTs) |
| Borrell 2005 | Retrospective study, not an RCT |
| Bracken 2012 | RCT of bupivacaine and saline versus saline only for hydrodissection during TVT |
| Bruschini 2005 | Not an RCT |
| Chen 2008 | Not randomized |
| Chen 2011 | Prospective comparative study with participants assigned not randomized. |
| Chene 2009 | Was prospective, but not stated that randomized |
| Chong 2003 | All women had TVT. Intervention groups were division vs no division of tape |
| Corcos 2001 | Traditional slings. No minimally invasive sling |
| Corcos 2005 | No minimally invasive sling |
| Cotte 2006 | An ultrasound study comparing tape position between RPR and TOR |
| Courtney‐Watson 2002 | Trial stopped due to difficulty recruiting. Planned to recruit 30 participants to each arm but actually randomized less than 15 participants in total |
| Debodinance 2006 | Non randomized prospective study |
| Dietz 2005 | Imaging study: aim of the study was to determine the mobility of the slings from ultrasound imaging of slings inserted in the parent trial (SUSPEND trial, Lim 2005) |
| Du 2008 | Not an RCT |
| Falconer 2001 | All had TVT |
| Fischer 2005 | Not an RCT |
| Foote 2012 | Monarc vs mini single incision sling |
| Goldberg 2001 | No minimally invasive sling |
| Gopinath 2013 | Qualitative analysis on nonresponders of single incision sling RCT |
| Harmanli 2011 | RCT of antibiotic use preoperatively for TVT and TOT (surgeons discretion for what tape was used) |
| Jackson 2013 | RCT of antibiotic vs. placebo for MUS surgery |
| Jeon 2008 | Not an RCT |
| Jones 2010 | Not an RCT |
| Karagkounis 2007 | A prospective cohort study not an RCT |
| Kim 2005a | Retrospective review of medical records |
| Kim 2006 | Not an RCT |
| Kulseng‐Hanssen 2004 | RCT ‐ does not meet the inclusion criteria. Not MUS vs MUS. Tradition Sling vs TVT. This trial compares three techniques for performing sling surgery: TVT, porcine xenograft (Pelvicol) sling and the short autologous fascial sling technique 'Sling on a string'. |
| Kulseng‐Hanssen 2007 | A prospective cohort study not an RCT |
| Kwon 2002 | Prolapse trial not urinary incontinence |
| Liapis 2007 | RCT with randomisation based on the type of anaesthesia used for one minimally invasive sling procedure (TVT) |
| Liapis 2010 | RCT of TVT‐O vs TVT‐O plus 6 months postoperative estrodiol therapy. Both groups had TVT‐O performed |
| Markland 2007 | RCT of Burch colposuspension versus traditional sling ‐ SISTEr Trial. Not MUS vs MUS |
| McClure 2006 | Statistical modelling and not a trial in itself. No minimally invasive sling |
| Meschia 2002 | 1 tape used (TVT) and only occult urinary incontinence investigated |
| Osman 2003 | No minimally invasive sling arm in the trial |
| Pace 2008 | Prospective study of SPARC vs Monarc TOT but no evidence of randomisation |
| Padilla‐Fernández 2013 | Randomisation based on immediate or deferred cutting and readjustment of tape |
| Park 2008 | Same tape TOT randomized to either high‐tension or tension‐free |
| Sabadell 2008 | Cohort study, not an RCT |
| Schierlitz 2007 | Investigated occult incontinence |
| Schostak 2001 | Not an RCT and no minimally invasive sling |
| Seo 2007 | Not an RCT, retrospective study |
| Shin 2010 | Non randomized longitudinal study |
| Sivaslioglu 2007 | No minimally invasive sling |
| Surkont 2007 | Not an RCT and only 1 arm, IVS |
| Takeyama 2006 | Improvised instrument used |
| Tantanasis 2013 | A review article, not an RCT |
| Tincello 2009 | RCT of colposuspension or TVT with concomitant anterior repair (1 tape) |
| Tinelli 2007 | Same tape TVT: randomized to either immediate TVT or TVT after 21 days of preoperative estrogen treatment |
| Trezza 2001 | Investigated occult urinary incontinence |
| Wang 2001 | All women received TVT. Compared types of anaesthesia |
| Wei 2012 | RCT of women with occult stress urinary incontinence undergoing POP surgery with and without concomitant MUS insertion |
| Williams 2003 | Statistical modelling and not a trial in itself |
| Yang 2012 | Non randomised inferiority study |
| Yoo 2007 | A comparative study but not an RCT |
| Yoon 2011 | RCT of single incision sling and TOT |
| Zaccardi 2010 | RCT of pelvic floor muscle training on comfort. |
| Zullo 2005 | All had TVT. Women were randomly allocated to receive TVT plus postoperative vaginal oestrogen therapy (ET group) or TVT without adjunctive medical treatment (no ET group) |
Abbreviations
IVS: intravaginal slingoplasty
MUS: mid‐urethral sling
POP: pelvic organ prolapse
RCT: randomized controlled trial
RPR: retropubic route
SIS: Single incision sling
TOR: transobturator route
TOT: transobturator tape
TVT: tension‐free vaginal tape
TVT‐O: tension‐free vaginal tape ‐ Obturator