Tape mobilization for urinary retention after tension-free vaginal tape procedures

To evaluate the efficacy of transvaginal tape mobilization as a method of treating urinary retention after tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedures, and secondly to evaluate the time to resumption of voiding function after TVT procedures.

Postoperative voiding function and the 1-year continence status of 163 consecutive women with stress incontinence treated with TVT procedures during a 35-month period were retrospectively analyzed.

Of the 163 women, 63 underwent TVT placement alone and 100 underwent TVT with surgery for pelvic relaxation. Of the 163 women, 153 (94%) were able to void immediately without intervention. Of the voiders, those who underwent TVT alone voided adequately by 33 hours, and those who underwent TVT concurrently with surgery for pelvic relaxation voided adequately by 74 hours. Ten (6%) of the 163 women were unable to void after TVT placement and underwent transvaginal tape mobilization between postoperative days 3 and 10. All women voided spontaneously and suprapubic catheterization was discontinued within 37 hours and 48 hours of tape mobilization, respectively. Continence status and quality-of-life scores of the nonvoiders had improved significantly and did not differ from those of voiders at 1 year after surgery.

Transvaginal tape mobilization is a simple and effective method of treating urinary retention after TVT placement and may be considered if voiding has not resumed by postoperative day 3.