Stamey's abdominovaginal needle colposuspension for the correction of female genuine stress urinary incontinence--long-term results.

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term continence rate, subjective satisfaction and treatment-associated morbidity in a carefully selected group of patients undergoing Stamey bladder neck suspension.

Material And Methods: We studied 24 women with objectively validated genuine stress urinary incontinence (GSI) who were treated using the Stamey needle colposuspension method. Follow-up was performed by means of a questionnaire, a urodynamic assessment and a new standardized quantification test. Time to follow-up ranged from 28 to 100 months (mean 63 months).

Results: Of the 24 patients, 20 (83%) reported an improvement in clinical symptoms for a mean of 37 (range 12-84) months at the evaluation and 10 (42%) were completely continent after the Stamey procedure. Four patients (17%) reported a poor outcome of the operation, but in only one case could this be related to recurrent GSI. Treatment-associated morbidity was low but the frequency of postoperative urgency symptoms was higher than that reported in other studies (21%).

Conclusion: In a selected population of pure GSI patients with no demonstrable detrusor overactivity, the Stamey bladder neck suspension procedure appears a feasible therapeutic option with few complications.