Sexual function following outside-in transobturator midurethral sling procedures: a prospective study

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Gynecology
• Sexual Health

Background:

• Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) significantly impacts women's quality of life.
• Midurethral tape procedures, including transobturator tape (TOT), are common SUI treatments.
• The effect of TOT on female sexual function remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of outside-in transobturator midurethral sling procedures (TOT) on sexual function in women with urodynamic stress incontinence (USI).
• To evaluate changes in validated measures of incontinence and sexual function before and after TOT surgery.

Main Methods:

• 102 women with USI underwent TOT procedures.
• Validated questionnaires (IIQ-7, UDI-6, PISQ-12) assessed incontinence and sexual function pre- and post-operatively.
• Data from 83 patients at 12-month follow-up were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Postoperative SUI was observed in 7.2% of patients.
• Significant improvements were noted in UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scores, indicating reduced incontinence.
• Overall PISQ-12 scores did not change significantly, but specific items related to climax and emotional response during intercourse worsened (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• TOT procedures demonstrate favorable clinical outcomes for USI.
• While overall sexual function was not significantly altered, specific aspects like climax and emotional response during intercourse may be negatively affected.
• Further research is needed to address the nuanced effects of TOT on female sexual health.