Tension-free Vaginal Tape (TVT) Articles

Stress urinary incontinence is a common problem affecting women's quality of life. The retropubic mid-urethral sling accounts for the majority of surgical interventions for stress incontinence. Complications of the procedure are rare.

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a condition characterized by an involuntary loss of urine occurring as result of an increase in intra-abdominal pressure due to effort or exertion or on sneezing or coughing.

BERKELEY, CA (UroToday.com) - All the available data indicate that stress urinary incontinence (SUI) affects up to 45% of women and the prevalence of SUI is likely to increase in the future as the population ages.

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) accounts for approximately 50% of incontinence occurrences in women (1). Several surgical techniques, including urethropexy, needle-assisted bladder neck suspension, and colposuspension have been used to treat SUI. In 1995, Ulmsten et al (2) introduced the tension-free vaginal tape procedure (TVT), utilizing a suburethral retropubic sling made out of synthetic material.

To assess long-term subjective, objective, and urodynamic outcomes of retropubic mid-urethral slings at 13-year follow-up.

This was a prospective observational study. Consecutive women with proven urodynamic stress incontinence were treated with standard retropubic tension free vaginal tape (TVT).