Burch Colposuspension Versus Fascial Sling to Reduce Urinary Stress Incontinence

This chapter summarizes the results of the Stress Incontinence Surgical Treatment Efficacy (SISTEr) trial, which randomized women with stress urinary incontinence to an autologous sling procedure versus a Burch colposuspension. Overall treatment success favored the fascial sling over the Burch procedure group, as did the stress incontinence–specific success rate at 24 months. Postoperative voiding dysfunction and urge incontinence were more common in the sling group than the Burch group. These findings supported the historical shift toward slings (autologous and synthetic) versus Burch colposuspension procedures in clinical practice.