[ACT device: what place in the treatment of female urinary incontinence?]

Objectives: Assessment of the adjustable continence therapy device (ACT) in the treatment of female stress or mixed urinary incontinence in terms of efficacy and complications.

Material: Between April 2005 and September 2011, the device ACT was put by two different operators to treat a stress and/or mixed urinary incontinence at women. The results were studied under two shutters: complications and efficacy.

Results: Seventy-seven women were operated. Mean age of the patients was of 68 years (34-87). Mean follow-up was of 22 months (1-72). Over the 77 patients, eight peroperative complications (10%) were noted. Twenty-five explantations were required in 22 patients (28%). In terms of efficacy, after an average follow-up of 22 months, the results were: 19 patients (25%) were continents, 25 (33%) very improved and five (6%) improved regards to the initial stage preceding the implantation. Fifteen patients (19%) were in failure. Seven patients (9%) were unchanged and in the course of adjustment (recent implantation) and six others (8%) explanted waiting for another implantation.

Conclusion: The ACT procedure was feasible on a population of multi-operated women with 64% of improvement in our hands. Complications were rare, easily detected and repaired. The risk of explantation was reported to be 28%.