Outcome of mid urethral sling procedures according to age

Lee, Maria; Lim, Kyung Jin; Moon, Yeo Jung; Kim, Sei Kwang; Bai, Sang Wook

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To compare the morbidity and treatment outcomes of mid urethral sling procedures for older women and younger women, and to evaluate whether mid urethral sling procedures can be effectively used in older women.
METHODS
This retrospective study included 381 patients who underwent mid urethral sling procedures, tension free vaginal tape (TVT) or transobturator tape (TOT) for urodynamic stress urinary incontinence from March 2000 to June 2006. The patients were divided into two age groups: younger women (30~69 years old) and older women (70~90 years old). Patients were followed up with clinic visits at 1, 3, 6, 12 months, and every year thereafter.
RESULTS
341 (89.7%) were in younger women, 40 (10.5%) in older women. The rates of intra and perioperative complications including hemoglobin difference, urinary retention, UTI, mesh erosion, wound infection were no significant differences between the groups. De novo urgency was more common in older women than younger women (15.9% vs. 30.0%: P<0.001). The subjective cure rate at 1 year follow up (82.2% vs. 91.3%: P>0.05) showed no significant differences.
CONCLUSION
Our data showed subjective cure rates without any significant increase in intraoperative complications in older women. Postoperative complications of de novo urgency were more common in the older women. Hospital stay and recovery period were short, making TVT and TOT a suitable procedure for all ages.