Transobturator tape significantly improves urinary incontinence

A transobturator tape procedure resulted in nearly an 80% improvement in urge urinary incontinence, according to research published in the March issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Samina Tahseen, of the Luton and Dunstable Hospital in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, and a colleague conducted follow-up interviews, at a median of 13 months, on 58 women who had undergone a transobturator tape procedure. Based on diagnosis, women were categorized into three groups, either having stress incontinence only, mixed incontinence with predominant stress leakage, or mixed incontinence with predominant urge leakage.

Overall, urge urinary incontinence was cured in 43% and improved in 36%, the researchers report. In the group of women with stress predominant leakage, incontinence was cured and improved in an equal proportion of patients (43.5% each). In women with urge predominant leakage, incontinence was cured in 43% and improved in 28.5% of patients, the investigators found. Stress incontinence was completely resolved in 77% and was improved in an additional 19%. No cases of de novo urge incontinence were reported, the authors note.

“The transobturator midurethral sling has been shown in this study to improve urge urinary incontinence and overactive bladder symptoms significantly in mixed urinary incontinence and to provide high postoperative patient satisfaction,” the authors conclude.

Tahseen S, Reid P. Effect of transobturator tape on overactive bladder symptoms and urge urinary incontinence in women with mixed urinary incontinence.

Obstet Gynecol. 2009;113:617-623.