[Surgical treatment of female urinary incontinence]

During the last decade, minimal invasive procedures have been introduced for treatment of urinary incontinence (UI) in women leading to shorter hospitalisation and fewer complications. The aim of this study was to outline clinical practice and attitudes among Danish UI surgeons.

Surgeons performing UI procedures were identified and mailed a questionnaire in 2007 concerning 2006. Questions included specialisation, number of procedures, type of surgery, complications and attitude towards learning surgery and maintaining a sufficient level of routine.

In total, 94 operating gynaecologists and urologists were identified, 63 responded (71%) of whom 49 (78%) performed UI surgery. UI surgeons were gynaecologists 43 (88%) of these 24 (49%) were urogynecologists (working more than 50% with urogynecology) and five (10%) urologists. Tension-free Vaginal Tape (TVT) was the preferred sling in 2006. A total of 20 (47%) UI surgeons used only TVT, seven (17%) only transobturator slings (TOS) and 15 (36%) both TVT and TOS. Only 11 (24%) performed > 25 TVT per year and 11 (27%) performed > 25 TOS per year. In all, UI surgeons had experience with ten different slings. This study did not allow for a quantitative assessment of complications. The attitude was that 10-25 operations are needed to learn the procedure, and that > 10 operations per year are needed to maintain a sufficient level of routine.

Practice and attitudes among urinary incontinence surgeons vary considerably and there is a lack of consensus. Many UI surgeons perform few operations with different techniques.