Five-year clinical and imaging outcomes of primary transobturator midurethral sling procedures for uncomplicated urodynamic stress incontinence

Objectives: To report 5-year clinical and imaging outcomes of primary transoburator midurethral sling (TOT) procedures for uncomplicated urodynamic stress incontinence (USI). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively investigated the data of 136 women who underwent primary TOT procedures for uncomplicated USI. All women received preoperative as well as 1-year and 5-year postoperative assessments comprising clinical interview, pelvic examination, and introital four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound. The primary outcome was stress urinary incontinence (SUI), defined as the report of SUI in patient interview, a positive response to item 3 of the short form of the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6), or a positive cough stress test and negative dysuria or urinalysis. Secondary outcomes included SUI severity, SUI bother, scores on the short forms of the UDI-6 and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7), rates of de novo overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms, de novo voiding dysfunction, groin/thigh pain, and sling exposure, as well as ultrasound manifestations of bladder neck, midurethra, and sling. Results: At 1 and 5 years, rates for SUI (7.4% vs 8.8%, P = 0.824), de novo OAB symptoms (4.4% vs 5.1%, P = 1.000), de novo voiding dysfunction (11.2% vs 10.3%, P = 1.000), groin/thigh pain (3.7% vs 0.7%, P = 0.216), and sling exposure (2.2% vs 0.0%, P = 0.246) were similar. Scores on the UDI-6 and IIQ-7 were significantly decreased postoperatively. Sling location and a more cranioventral midurethral location were sustained during follow-up. Conclusions: For uncomplicated USI, TOT has good and sustained clinical and imaging outcomes, though a notable rate of de novo voiding dysfunction.