[TVT our experience five years and six months later]

We present the outcome of urinary incontinence surgery after TVT more than five year of follow-up. Efficacy was evaluated in terms of complete cure of incontinence, complications, and patient satisfaction.

A sample of 369 female with genuine stress incontinence or mixed incontinence who had a TVT performed in our hospital between 1998-2003 were evaluated. Sample average age was 59.9 years. A total of 326 patients (85%) had genuine stress incontinence and 56 (15%) mixed incontinence. Preoperative evaluation was base on: clinical history and physical examination, stress test, flowmetry and post voided residual. Cistometry was indicated only in patients with previous surgery and mixed incontinence. Severity of incontinence was graded clinically. Primary outcome measure was complete cure of incontinence defined as lack of objective and subjective leakage. In addition a phone survey about patient satisfaction with the surgery was carried out.

The average follow up was 35 months (6-67). A total of 317 were complete continent (86%). By contrast, 52 patients (14%) had leakages jet. The novo urgency rate was 7% and a 5.7% of patients were reoperated to cut the mesh because of obstruction. Nevertheless, the reoperation rate was low and only a patient showed a massive haematoma which needed to be evacuated.

Bursch Technique through suprapubic route has been classically considered the gold standard procedure for stress urinary incontinence for the last decades, having been substituted nowadays by tension-free suburethral mesh sling whose most important advantages are: Simplicity of the method, lower cost and higher comfort for the patient due to the fact that we have chaged in-patient surgery program for ambulatory one with similar results in order to sanation. Anyway we will have to check if the preliminary good results and no complications persist in the follow-up.