11-year study shows high cure rate for TVT in female SUI

An 11-year follow-up on the safety and efficacy of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) for female stress urinary incontinence found that 90% of patients were objectively cured and 97% considered themselves subjectively cured or improved, according to study findings published in the International Urogynecology Journal (2008; 19:1043-7).

The three-center prospective observational cohort study, led by Carl G. Nilsson, MD, of Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland, analyzed 90 women suffering from SUI who were treated with Gynecare TVT Retropubic System Tension-free Support (Gynecare/Ethicon, Somerville, NJ).

Preoperative assessment included a 24-hour pad test, a stress test, physical examination, and a visual analog scale. Of the original cohort, 69 women were available for postoperative follow-up. These women were evaluated using a stress test, a pad test, a measurement of the patients' overall impression of the cure, and a questionnaire administered to assess quality of life.

“Our results substantiate the evidence showing that the TVT procedure is a safe, effective solution that offers excellent long-term cure rates for women suffering with SUI,” Dr. Nilsson said. “We are encouraged by the fact that we saw no reports of adverse effects such as tape erosion or tissue reactions found during follow-up, and continue to believe that the TVT procedure represents a significant advance in the treatment of female SUI.”