Korean J Urol.  2010 Feb;51(2):122-127.

Impact of the Midurethral Sling Procedure on Quality of Life in Women with Urinary Incontinence

• Lim HS
• Kim JM
• Song PH
• Kim HT
• Jung HC

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was designed to objectively assess the impediment of incontinence to quality of life (QoL) in females and its improvement by the midurethral sling (MUS) procedure.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From June 2006 to June 2007, 93 female patients underwent the MUS procedure at our institute because of urinary incontinence. The incontinence quality of life (I-QoL) questionnaire was administered to measure the QoL of the incontinent patients before and 1 and 12 months after the MUS procedure. Preoperative data and urodynamic factors were analyzed retrospectively by I-QoL scores to identify factors that may affect the QoL of incontinent patients.
RESULTS
The average preoperative I-QoL score of the 93 patients was 61.1+/-21.0 points. At 1 year after surgery, the average I-QoL score was found to have improved to 98.4+/-20.7 points. There were no significant differences between stress and mixed urinary incontinence in terms of cure and satisfaction (p>0.05). I-QoL scores of the cured and improved patients increased at 1 year after surgery (p<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in the increment of I-QoL between cured and improved patients (p>0.05). Although urinary urgency and large urine leak amounts significantly reduced preoperative QoL in incontinent patients, the MUS procedure effectively improved the QoL regardless of these factors.
CONCLUSIONS
Preoperative I-QoL assessment revealed a significant impairment of QoL in incontinent women, but the MUS procedure effectively improved these women's QoL.

Keyword

Urinary incontinence; Urologic surgical procedures; Quality of life

MeSH Terms

Animals
Female
Humans
Mice
Quality of Life
Retrospective Studies
Suburethral Slings
Urinary Incontinence
Urodynamics
Urologic Surgical Procedures

Figure

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  FIG. 1 Changes in the total I-QoL and I-QoL subscale scores before and after surgery. I-QoL: incontinence-quality of life, a: p<0.01, b: p<0.05.

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  FIG. 2 Comparison of the total I-QoL score between before surgery and at 1 year of follow-up (sorted by objective operation results). I-QoL: incontinence-quality of life, MUS: midurethral sling, a: p<0.01.

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