Tension-free vaginal tape: what it's made of can matter!

Urinary stress incontinence is a significant health concern affecting millions of women and is due to poor anatomical support of the urethra. Sub-urethral tapes aim to correct this lack of support to achieve continence. The simplicity and success rates of the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) technique compare favourably with Burch colposuspension. The last 13 years have seen the introduction of new materials and approaches used for sub-urethral tapes to optimise the efficacy and reduce the complications of the procedure. We present a case series using a tape made of siliconised polyester (LIFT, Cousin(R)). Approximately half of the cases have presented with an array of symptoms suggestive of an intense inflammatory response, which resolved only on removal of the tape. A low yield on microbiological samples was evident. We suggest that the material is as important as the weave in deciding which mesh to use.