Evaluation of urodynamic findings before and after mid-urethral tape sling operation for female stress urinary incontinence

Study objective: To compare the urodynamic findings in female patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) before and after a mid-urethral tape sling operation.

Design: Multi-channel urodynamic study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3).

Setting: Department of Urology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, China.

Patients: Women with SUI.

Interventions: One hundred ten patients underwent tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) surgery from September 2002 to December 2004 and 312 patients underwent tension-free vaginal tape-obturator (TVT-O) surgery from January 2005 to December 2011. The study was performed in all patients before surgery and at 3 and 6 months after surgery. Urine flow rate and residual urine volume were measured before and at 1, 3, and 6 month after surgery. Preoperative and postoperative data were compared to determine the urodynamic changes.

Measurements and main results: Of 422 patients, only 34 were lost to follow-up. The mean (SD) age of the remaining 388 patients was 57.6 (10.8) years, and parity was 1.87 (1.00). Compared with preoperative evaluation, there were significant changes in abdominal leak-point pressure and the urethral pressure profile including the maximal urethral pressure and the maximal urethral closure pressure at both 3 and 6 months postoperatively (p < .001). Insofar as urine flow rate and residual urine volume, statistical differences were observed at 1 month postoperatively but not at 3 and 6 months.

Conclusion: These urodynamic findings suggest that patient storage and voiding functions are not substantially affected by the mid-urethral tape sling operation.