[Clinical and urodynamic repercussions after treatment of female stress incontinence with transobturator suburethral tape].

Aims: Analyse changes in voiding patterns after the treatment of female urodynamic stress incontinence (USI) with suburethral transobturator tape (TOT).

Patients And Methods: Prospective study of 50 women with pure stress urinary incontinence treated between March 2004 and February 2006; mean age was 53+/-13 (34-87); parity was 2+/-0.75; mean follow-up was of 15 months (7-43). Each patient did a complete urodynamic examination and filled in two questionnaires (MHU and Contilife), before and three months after surgery.

Results: Cure rate was 94% (47/50). Three of 50 patients remained incontinent after surgery (6%). No peroperative complications occurred. Analysis of questionnaires showed that two clinical symptoms predominated postoperatively: dysuria (14%; n=7) and urgency (6%; n=3). Urodynamic profiles showed the following: a decrease in maximum flow rate from 23.6 to 18.9 ml/s (p<0.01), and an increase in urethral resistance from 0.12 to 0.23 (p<0.01). The number of patients with at least two Massey Abrams criteria defining obstruction rose from six to 19, while only seven patients had symptomatic dysuria. Quality of life improved significantly, from 2.32 to 4.63 (p<0.05).

Conclusions: TOT is a safe, effective procedure with few complications. While urodynamic data show some obstruction, this has little impact upon clinical results or mid-term complications; it only mildly affects voiding and does not compromise patient satisfaction.