Colposuspension for urinary stress incontinence in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Sixty-nine premenopausal and 53 postmenopausal women had a colposuspension operation for urinary stress incontinence. A significant postoperative reduction (p less than 0.001) of symptoms of frequency, nocturia, urgency and urge incontinence was obtained in both groups. Postoperatively, 88.4 per cent of the premenopausal women were found to be dry compared with 66 per cent in the postmenopausal group (p less than 0.01). No differences were found preoperatively and postoperatively in the cystometric values or in the urethral pressure profiles at rest in both groups and between the groups. The pressure transmission ratios were significantly improved postoperatively in both groups. The postoperative transmission ratios in the premenopausal women were found to be significantly higher than those in the postmenopausal group, at the middle two-quarters of the urethra. Although surgical treatment for urinary stress incontinence in postmenopausal women results in lower cure rates than in younger women, it should be considered.