Modern management of women with stress urinary incontinence

Stress urinary incontinence is a prevalent condition that may have a significant negative impact on a woman's quality of life. With improved awareness and research, new nonsurgical and surgical managements are being developed; noninvasive measures should be considered before invasive treatments. Pelvic floor exercises, biofeedback, and electrical stimulation may be helpful depending on the individual. With the release of duloxetine, the first FDA-approved medication for stress urinary incontinence, pharmacologic therapy (which has not had a significant role in stress urinary incontinence) will gain more attention. Surgical treatments have become minimally invasive with good efficacy. Overall, as the understanding of the pathophysiology of stress urinary incontinence evolves, so will management of this disease state.