Objective: To analyze the influence of body mass on the outcome of surgery for urinary incontinence.
Methods: Among 291 women operated on for stress incontinence, 187 (64%) were available for follow-up at 5 years. Eighty women had anterior colporrhaphy, 49 anterior colporrhaphy with needle suspension of the bladder neck, and 58 Burch colposuspension. Body mass index was calculated preoperatively and at follow-up. Women were classified as being of normal weight (body mass index [BMI] 20-25), overweight (BMI 26-30), or obese (BMI greater than 30). Reported continence rates were analyzed according to BMI for each operation and the BMIs of continent patients were compared with those of incontinent patients.
Results: The continence rates at 5-year follow-up for anterior colporrhaphy, anterior colporrhaphy with needle suspension of bladder neck, and Burch colposuspension were 58, 51, and 86%, respectively (P < .001). The continence rates did not differ significantly among the three BMI groups for each procedure. A statistical power of 26% was found for the hypothesis that the outcome of the procedures does not depend on BMI. The preoperative and postoperative BMIs of continent and incontinent women for each procedure did not differ significantly.
Conclusion: We did not find preoperative obesity to be a risk factor for failure of incontinence surgery, but the power of our study was limited.