Risk factors for failure of retropubic and transobturator midurethral slings.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to identify and compare risk factors for failure of retropubic and transobturator procedures.

STUDY

DESIGN

This was a retrospective cohort study. Women with predominant stress urinary incontinence who underwent a retropubic (n = 214) or transobturator tape procedure (n = 173) were included. Therapy was considered to have failed in women reporting any amount of urine leakage during stress after 2 and/or 12 months.

RESULTS

Risk factors for failure were mixed urinary incontinence (MUI; odds ratio [OR], 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-9.1) and the observation of detrusor overactivity (DO) at urodynamics (OR, 8.6; 95% CI, 1.9-39.4) in the retropubic group. Reporting a history of previous incontinence surgery (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.3-11.7) and a low mean urethral closure pressure (MUCP) at urodynamics (OR, 14.5; 95% CI, 1.5-139.0) were risk factors for failure in the transobturator group.

CONCLUSION

Women with previous incontinence surgery or a low MUCP might benefit more from a retropubic sling, whereas a transobturator procedure might be preferable in women with MUI or DO.