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. 2023 Jan;160(1):214-219.
doi: 10.1002/ijgo.14295. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Translabial ultrasound evaluation after tension-free transobturator tape technique: Outcomes based on the tape's position

Giorgio Gugliotta  1 , Antonio Schiattarella  2 , Margherita Giunta  3 , Pasquale De Franciscis  2 , Salvatore Polito  4 , Gloria Calagna  4
Affiliations

Translabial ultrasound evaluation after tension-free transobturator tape technique: Outcomes based on the tape's position

Giorgio Gugliotta et al. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of postoperative translabial ultrasound to assess the position of the tape implanted with the tension-free transobturator tape technique.

Methods: We enrolled women with clinically and urodynamically proven type I or II stress urinary incontinence who were referred for transobturator tape treatment.

Results: A total of 50 women underwent a transobturator tape procedure and were included in the analysis. We divided the patients into two study groups (group A and group B), characterized by normal and obstructed flow at least 30 days after the surgical procedure visit, respectively. We performed a translabial ultrasound evaluation to assess the suburethral localization of the sling. On the longitudinal scan, the distance between the bladder neck and the suburethral sling was >10 mm in all patients in group A (16.7 ± 1.6). On the contrary, the values in group B were ≤10 mm (5.3 ± 4.8).

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the role of a skilled sonographic operator performing translabial ultrasound as a first-line method for evaluating postoperative transobturator tape procedure and sling positioning. Moreover, translabial ultrasound could be helpful to determine a "cutoff" of the bladder neck to sling distance, as this is related to the onset of the obstruction.

Keywords: mid-urethra; stress urinary incontinence; translabial ultrasound; transobturator tape; women.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Longitudinal (a) and coronal (b) sections on translabial ultrasound. Star, arcuate ligament of the pubis; B, bladder; U, urethra; red arrow, the bladder neck.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Longitudinal (A) and coronal (B) sections on translabial ultrasound, with evaluation of sling position at least 30 days (range, 30–45 days) after the surgical procedure (bladder neck‐sling distance: 1.63 cm). B, bladder; U, urethra; red arrow, the sling.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Longitudinal sections on translabial ultrasound, with evaluation of sling position at least 30 days (range, 30–45 days) after the surgical procedure. The bladder neck‐sling distance of the patient in (a) was 1.73 cm; on the contrary, (b) shows the bladder neck‐sling distance of 0.61 cm in a patient with postoperative obstructed flow. B, bladder; U, urethra; red arrow, the sling.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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