Transobturator tension-free “inside-to-out” suburethral sling procedure for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence

Introduction. Stress urinary incontinence is an involuntary leakage of urine on a sudden increase of intra-abdominal pressure by physical activity, exercise, coughing, sneezing or laughing. Objective. To assess symptoms, functional and anatomical status of voiding function, complications and short term success of a novel procedure, tension-free vaginal tape obturator technique (TVT-O) in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Methods. A prospective study was performed on 40 female patients who underwent the TVT-O suburethral sling at the Urology Department of the Health Centre in Prokuplje and Urology Hospital in Ni between May 2009 and February 2010. The mean patients’ age was 58 years (range 34-84 years). Preoperative evaluation included a detailed history and gynaecologic examination including urodynamic testing and voiding studies.UDI-6 and UIQ-7 score testing was performed before, and six months after surgery. All patients who demonstrated stress urinary incontinence with a Q-tip test-angle during maximal straining were included into the study. Postoperatively, outcomes evaluation included voiding function, anatomical parameters, complications, as well as subjective success rates. Results. In 30 patients surgery was performed under spinal and in ten under general anaesthesia. The average intraoperative blood loss during the TVT-O was minimal (<50 ml). There were no vascular, bladder, bowel, and neurological injuries. Thirty-eight patients (95%) were discharged voiding satisfactorily. There was a statistically significant difference in symptoms between UDI-6 and UIQ-7 before and after surgery. Conclusion. Initial experience with TVT-O suburethral sling is promising. The TVT-O differs from retropubic procedures by resulting in lower postoperative morbidity, intraoperative and postoperative complications.