Pelvic fascia strength in women with stress urinary incontinence in comparison with those who are continent.

Biophysical properties of the anterior vaginal wall as well as the rectus fascia were evaluated in vivo by penetrating the Stamey needle into these tissues of 26 female patients with stress incontinence in comparison with those of 21 continent subjects. The results demonstrated that shear strength of the anterior vaginal wall was lower in incontinent patients than in continent subjects (P < 0.01). Shear strength of the rectus fascia in the patients, which was not supposed to be related to urinary incontinence and should have had the same strength as the control subjects, was also found to be lower than the control (P < 0.01). Shear strength of the vaginal wall was not correlated with age irrespective of their continence status (P > 0.05). Based on our findings it is concluded that some women suffering from stress incontinence may have a hereditary disorder of biophysical properties of the tissues.