Objective: To evaluate the effect of vaginal transobturator tape (TOT) on
female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and sexual function.
Patients and methods: In all, 145 patients with SUI underwent TOT repair using
the ‘outside–in’ technique. All patients had been sexually active in the previous
6 months. Patients were evaluated by history, routine laboratory investigations,
cough stress test, abdominopelvic ultrasonography, and full urodynamic studies.
The preoperative data assessed included: age, parity, body mass index, menopausal
status, and Stamey grade of SUI. The intraoperative data assessed included: operative
time, blood loss, and hospital stay; intra- and postoperative complications were
also assessed. At 2 weeks after discharge, patients were followed-up with a routine
examination and cough stress test. After 6 months’ patients were assessed by urodynamic
studies, maximum urinary flow rate, post-void residual urine volume. The following
questionnaires were completed before and at 6 months after TOT insertion:
International Consultation of Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF),
Urogenital Distress Inventory-Short Form (UDI-6), and Female Sexual Function
Index (FSFI).
Results: All sociodemographic data of the 145 patients were collected. According
to ICIQ-SF scores, 122 patients were cured, 19 had improved, and four failed. Therewere significant improvements in the UDI-6 and FSFI scores, indicating that the
women had significant improvement in their sexual life. There were six cases of urinary
tract infection, five cases had a fever, and eight patients complained of groin or
thigh pain postoperatively.
Conclusions: Correction of SUI using TOT appears to have a positive effect on
female sexual function.