The efficacy of mid-urethral sling procedures, transobturator tape and tension-free vaginal tape in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence: a comparative study of twelve months follow-up after surgery

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study is to compare the efficacy and safety of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) and transobturator tape (TOT) procedures in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in a two-arm study with a 1-year follow-up. Methods: The single-center retrospective study included 73 patients who underwent TVT or TOT between January 2006 and October 2012. Patients who had neurological disease or required surgical repair of cystocele or rectocele were excluded from the study. The primary outcome was treatment efficacy and safety at 12 months, defined by overactive bladder (OAB) scores and self-reported absence of symptoms. For comparisons between the groups, chi-square and Student-t tests were used. Results: Among the women included in the analysis, 52 patients underwent TVT and 21 underwent TOT. The mean age of the patients was 48.9 years in the TOT group and 46.2 years in the TVT group (p=0.713). The patient satisfaction rate was found to be 82.5% in the TOT group and 84.6% in the TVT group (p=0.917); complete dryness rates were similar in both groups (57.5% vs. 58.3%, p=0.817). There was a significant decrease in using pads in both groups, and OAB scores also showed a statistically significant decrease. Conclusion: Tension-free vaginal tape and TOT have similar efficacy as a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of female SUI. The symptoms of urgency urinary incontinence can also be reduced in parallel with OAB scores.