[A comparison of different types of suburethral slings in the treatment of urinary incontinence in geriatric patients]

Abstract

Objective: Comparison of different types of tension free tapes in the treatment of urinary incontinence in institutionalized elderly patients.

Design: Prospective randomized study.

Setting: Charles University in Prague, 1st Medical Faculty and Hospital Bulovka, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Prague.

Methods: 43 patients of several gerontologic centres with prevailing stress urinary incontinence were included based on urinary dysfunction specific questionnaire (ICIQ) and cognitive functions objective estimation (MMSE). Three types of tapes, TVT-O, MiniArc and Ajust were used and patients were randomized into the groups and after an urogynaecologic examination, incl. ultrasound the operation was performed.

Results: The groups were - except of the age of the patients of group MiniArc - well outweighted concerning demographic parameters. High success rate of all techniques used evaluated by the QoL questionnaires was in all the groups comparable. No case of bleeding, bladder injury or postoperative pain was found. Higher frequency of OAB de novo and worsening of preexisting symptomatics could be explained by general very high prevalence of OAB in the elderly even without the operation. In whole our cohort only 1 case of failure to treat and of tape exposure was found. Our results confirming high success rate of all the types also in elderly and institutionalized patients are in consent with sporadic published data.

Conclusion: Surgical treatment of cases of stress and mixed urinary incontinence is also in cases of elderly polymorbid nurcing facilities clients with regard to the high success rate. Secondary outcome of our report when accepting the conclusion is drop of the costs of antiincontinence pads thus having a significant economic effect.