Vascular injury during tension-free vaginal tape procedure for stress urinary incontinence.
BACKGROUND
Tension-free vaginal tape procedure is a popular surgical treatment of genuine stress urinary incontinence.


METHODS
Two cases of retropubic hematoma after tension-free vaginal tape procedure are reported. One woman with an 8 x 10 cm hematoma localized to the retropubic space required transfusion of two units of packed red blood cells for symptomatic relief. Neither case required reoperation, and both patients' hematomas resolved over 6 months without treatment. Both patients were continent 9-12 months after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the tension-free vaginal tape procedure is a minimally invasive operation for stress urinary incontinence and appears to be effective, significant vascular complications can result.
Walters
M D
MD
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. walterm@ccf.org
Tulikangas
P K
PK
LaSala
C
C
Muir
T W
TW
D000368:Aged; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000601:surgery*