Objectives: To assess the results of the Tension-Free Vaginal Tape (TVT) technique for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in the elderly.
Patients and methods: Between March 1998 and February 2001, 76 consecutive women more than 70 years old (median 76) and presenting with SUI were operated with the TVT technique. 28.9% (22/76) of the patients had previous surgery for SUI. 31% (24/76) of the patients had an overactive bladder and 4 patients had detrusor instability controlled by anticholinergic therapy. All patients had preoperative multichanel urodynamic evaluation.
Results: No serious complication was noted intra- or postoperatively. At a mean follow up of 24.6 months (range 16-49 months), 67% of the patients were cured (51/76). Among the failures, 10 patients (13.7%) had persistent SUI, 14 patients (18.4%) had urge incontinence and 2 patients were lost to follow up. De novo urgency without incontinence was noticed in 21% of the patients but preoperative urgency symptoms were cured in 46% of the patients. Overall 82% of the patients were satisfied with the result of the surgery, 14% considered the result as incomplete and 4% considered they were worsened by surgery.
Conclusion: The TVT procedure is safe and efficient to treat SUI in the elderly population even if the rate of de novo urgency appeared to be significant.