A 2 to 6 year postoperative evaluation of tension-free vaginal tape (tvt): a questionnaire based study

• Main Author: Marijan Lužnik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Medical Association 2006-12-01
• Series: Zdravniški Vestnik
• Subjects: TVT; urinary incontinence; cure rate; long-term data
• Online Access: http://vestnik.szd.si/index.php/ZdravVest/article/view/2054

<p><strong>Background:</strong> The purpose of this article is to show the long-term subjective cure rate of urinary incontinence in patients after the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure and eventual correlation of some factors with this cure rate.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> From December 1999 to July 2004 we performed one hundred and fifty TVT procedures at our Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. In April 2006, a 2 to 6 year postoperatively, 149 questionnaires were sent to our patients for self-estimation of the cure rate. The subjective evaluation of results of the operation was based on definition of the improvement of continence in percents, with 13 possibilities ranging from –20 % to 100 %. With tests of correlation we wish to establish eventual connection between the cure rate of urinary incontinence and the age of women at the time of operation and the number of postoperative years. Statistical significance of eventual influence of independent variables on cure rate was analyzed using nonparametric tests in Statistical Program Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Of 119 answers, in 40 cases (33.6 %) patients confirmed that they are completely healthy, and 87 women (73.1 %) confirmed at least 70 % cure rate. 100 answers confirmed that 87.6 % patients had benefited by TVT procedure even 2 to 6 years postoperatively. Correlation between the long-term cure rate and the patient’s age at time of operation had Pearson’s correlation coefficient r = –0.335 and was statistically significant (p = 0.01). Statistically significantly different success was still in the groups with regard to the previous hysterectomy (p = 0.005) and the previous surgical procedure for urinary incontinence (p = 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the cure rate and the number of postoperative years (p = 0.236).</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> 150 TVT procedures were performed very safely as solo intervention or as connected with other repair of pelvic organ prolapse at our department and have excellent long-term results. The cure rate in our group was connected with the patient’s age at time of operation and with previous hysterectomy and/or surgical procedure for urinary incontinence respectively.</p>