Long-term results of colpocystourethropexy for persistent or recurrent stress urinary incontinence.

Purpose: We review the long-term outcome of colpocystourethropexy for persistent or recurrent stress urinary incontinence after suspension procedure failure.

Materials And Methods: Medical records and preoperative studies were reviewed of 60 patients (mean age 60.8 years) who had undergone colpocystourethropexy after at least 1 suspension procedure (range 1 to 8, mean 2.7). Patient responses to a standardized questionnaire regarding overall health, degree of satisfaction with colpocystourethropexy, presence or absence of leakage, and pattern and degree of leakage were elicited by telephone or mail and compared with preoperative status. Results were graded according to the degree of satisfaction and number of pads used daily. Patients with persistent incontinence were reevaluated with video urodynamic studies.

Results: Mean interval since colpocystourethropexy was 6.9 years. Successful results (greater than 80% satisfaction and the use of 1 or no pad daily) were reported by 41 patients (69%), who were significantly younger at the time of surgery than those with unsatisfactory results. In the latter group significant urge incontinence was present in 61% before the repair and in 63% postoperatively, suggesting an additional nonanatomical cause, which was confirmed by postoperative video urodynamic studies.

Conclusions: When colpocystourethropexy was used for persistent urinary incontinence after previous surgical repair two-thirds of the patients had excellent long-term results. In patients with less satisfactory results a nonanatomical cause of urinary incontinence was a major factor.