ABSTRACT

Objective

Urinary incontinence is a symptom defined as objectively demonstrable involuntary urinary leakage causing a social or hygienic problem. The prevalence is twice as high in women as in men. It affects the individual’s entire daily life, restricting social activities and also increasing healthcare costs. This study investigates the results and complication rates of the transobturator tape (TOT) procedures used for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) treatment in a tertiary center in central Türkiye.

Materials and Methods

Forty-four patients undergoing TOT procedures for SUI were prospectively evaluated. Their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and operative outcome parameters were analyzed.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 51.22±8.63 years, their body mass index was 28.45±4.32 kg/m2, 128 (63.7%) patients were menopausal, and the mean duration of menopausal period was 9.56±5.34 years. Surgery was successful in 40 (90.9%) cases, the mean operative time was 24.26±4.82 minutes, mean pre- and post-operative hemoglobin values were 11.80±1.06 g/L and 10.75±1.03 g/L, respectively, and the mean length of hospital stay was 1.06±0.22 days. Groin pain and dyspareunia were present in one (2.8%) patient, urinary tract infections and urine retention in one (2.8%), and mesh erosion two (4.6%). The successful and unsuccessful surgery groups were comparable in terms of age, numbers of pregnancies and parities, duration of symptoms, numbers of patients who delivered via the vaginal route, numbers who underwent episiotomies, numbers of menopausal patients, and the mean duration of the menopause.

Conclusion

This study shows that the TOT procedure, a minimally invasive and easily performed technique with a very low complication rate, has a very high success rate in appropriate and correct SUI indications.