Economic comparison of two surgical techniques for the treatment of femalestress urinary incontinence: Burch technique versus TVT technique.

The TVT device (Tension-free Vaginal Tape) is used in our Hospital to treat stress urinary incontinence, resulting in an excess cost for the Pharmacy. The Burch technique, used previously, does not require any specific medica l device, but is invasive and requires a longer hospital stay. The objectiv e of this study was to compare the financial impact of these two techniques , by defining the discriminant costs. Seventeen isolated Burch procedures and twenty one TVT procedures were incl uded. The costs analysed concerned medical devices, medicinal products, lab oratory procedures, operating time, hospital stay and duration of postopera tive follow-up. The Burch procedure cost FFR 26,322 and the TVT procedures cost FFR 10,958. The TVT technique reduces the cost of hospitalisation and represents an eco nomy of operative equipment and nursing workload (reduction of operating ti me and postoperative stay).