Quality of life following transobturator sling surgery for female stress urinary incontinence

Objective

This descriptive study examines quality of life in women undergoing placement of a midurethral sling for stress urinary incontinence.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective cohort study based on data from 51 women consecutively undergoing this procedure at a tertiary hospital in the years 2014 and 2015. The main outcome variable was quality of life assessed through the Sandvick severity test and International Consultation on Incontinence Short Quality of Life Questionnaire (ICIQ-IU-SF) at the time points baseline or presurgery, and 6 months and 5 years postsurgery. Factors associated with treatment failure were determined through binary logistic regression.

Results

At 5-year follow up we obtained an absolute reduction of 8.78 points (95% CI 6.43–11.14; p < 0.001) in the ICIQ-IU-SF questionnaire and 4.54 (95% CI 3.25–5.83; p < 0.001) in the Sandvick severity test score, compared to baseline, in the 35 patients that completed follow-up. Out of the 51 patients that were followed, the rate of success in incontinence correction was 86.3% (44/50) with a failure rate of 12% (6/50). Multiparity and previous gynaecological surgery were identified as predisposing factors for treatment failure. Obesity was associated with a worse treatment outcome.

Conclusion

Sling treatment for incontinence was successful in 86.3% (44/50) of participants and remained effective 5 years after surgery in terms of quality of life.