title: Short term complications of the tension free vaginal tape operation for stress urinary incontinence in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of intra- and post-operative complications with the tension free vaginal tape operation for female urinary incontinence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Non-control case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seventy-seven operations on women who were diagnosed urodynamically to have genuine stress incontinence. In 26 cases (15%) there was symptomatic urge incontinence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intra- and post-operative complications in relation to individual surgeons and mode of anaesthesia (local or spinal), and continence at short term follow up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bladder or urethral perforation occurred in 26 cases (15%) and three operations were abandoned for these reasons. A failure to void after the first 24 hours was registered in 35 (20%); 21 (12%) had to undergo urethral dilatation while five patients (2.8%) had persistent urinary retention which required excision of the sling. These problems were significantly associated to the experience of surgeon. In seven cases (4%) haemorrhage required intravaginal tamponade. In three (1.7%) sling rejection occurred post-operatively. When followed up six to eight weeks post-operatively, 154 patients (88%) reported subjective cure, 21 (11%) significant improvement and two (1%) no improvement. The use of spinal anaesthesia increased the frequency of peroperative bladder perforation but affected neither the incidence of post-operative bladder obstruction nor the outcome at follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study identifies short term complications which relate partly to the experience of the individual surgeon. Nevertheless the 88% subjective cure rate was independent of these factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Malmö University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bodelsson
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Henriksson
authors.forename: Stellan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Osser
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stjernquist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013526:Surgical Mesh / Q000009:adverse effects; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000601:surgery*; D014621:Vagina / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D011126:Polypropylenes