THE TENSIONFREE VAGINAL TAPE PROCEDURE (TVT) FOR TREATMENT OF FEMALE URINARY-INCONTINENCE - A MINIMAL INVASIVE SURGICAL-PROCEDURE

Background. To test the suitability of a new surgical procedure for tr eatment of female urinary incontinence to be used as an ambulatory and minimal invasive operation. Methods. Thirty-one consecutive patients with urodynamically proven stress incontinence had a tensionfree vagin al tape procedure performed. Operation time, the amount of anesthetics and analgetics used, postoperative mobilization, voiding patterns, re sidual urine volumes, per- and postoperative complications, hospital s tay and need for sick leave were prospectively recorded. Results. All 31 patients were cured from stress incontinence. Local anesthesia was used in all cases and additional analgetics were needed in only small doses. Seventy per cent of the patients were released from the hospita l on the same day of the operation. By medical criteria 90% could have been released on the same day. No significant per- or postoperative c omplications occurred. Three patients needed postoperative catetheriza tion. All but one patient was able to empty her bladder within 24 hour s from the operation. An average of 15 days sick leave was prescribed. Conclusion. The tensionfree vaginal tape procedure seems to fulfil th e criteria for being regarded as a minimal invasive surgical procedure for treatment of female urinary stress incontinence. It is highly eff ective and is associated with very few intra and postoperative side ef fects.