ABSTRACT

The International Continence Society (ICS) defined stress urinary incontinence as “involuntary leakage due to effort, exertion, sneezing or coughing”. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common problem in women, especially middle and older age group. Trans-obturator tape (TOT), the treatment option of SUI, is one of the widely accepted techniques due to high success rates at long-term results. In this study we aimed to rewiev the long-term results of the TOT surgery performed in our clinic.

A total of 72 patients who underwent surgery (TOT) for incontinence were analyzed between June 2007 and Jan 2010 in our clinic . Lower urinary tract symptoms and urinary incontinence were recorded by face to face interviews with patient after the operations. Patients were evaluated by using International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) in preoperative and postoperative period. Also the patients were assessed by physical examination.

Patients’ mean age was 49.2±11.9 years, and the follow-up period after surgery was 29.7±3.4 months. ICIQ-SF scores at the median value decreased from 17 (14-21) to 2 (0-21) after surgery (p<0.05). It was determined that urge symptoms after surgery were disappeared from 31 of 40 patients (77.5 %) who admitted to mixed incontinence.

It is determined in long-term follow-up that improved or cured patients were an average of 86 %.

The cases performed with TOT technique have high long term success rates. TOT seems to be a safe and effective technique for the treatment of SUI due to short hospital stay, with easy applicability and low rates of adverse side effects.