TRANSURETHRAL POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE INJECTION IN FEMALE-PATIENTS WITH URINARY CONTINENCE

We present our results with the use of transurethral injection of poly tetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) in 128 female patients with moderate to s evere urinary incontinence from 1964 to 1991. Of the patients 60% had undergone previous surgical treatment for the incontinence. The etiolo gies included stress incontinence, neurogenic bladder, congenital anom alies, trauma and others. More than 73% of the patients improved (54.3 % were totally dry). The failure rate was 27%. Complications were mini mal. Urinary tract infection and temporary urinary retention occurred in 7 and 6 patients, respectively. Mean followup was 31 months. This s tudy demonstrates that transurethral polytetrafluoroethylene injection is a useful treatment of moderate to severe urinary incontinence in f emale patients. Polytetrafluoroethylene is particularly useful for pat ients with failed previous incontinence procedures and poor surgical c andidates. Failures are more likely in patients with periurethral fibr osis secondary to a previous urethral operation.