title: Seven-year follow-up of the tension-free vaginal tape procedure for treatment of urinary incontinence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term cure rates and late complication rates after treatment of female urinary stress incontinence with the minimally invasive tension-free vaginal tape operation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational, 3-center cohort study originally of 90 women requiring surgical treatment for primary urinary stress incontinence. Assessment variables included a 24-hour pad weighing test, a stress test, visual analog scale for assessing the degree of bother, and a questionnaire assessing the subjective perception of the women on their continence status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The follow-up time was a mean of 91 months (range 78-100 months). Both objective and subjective cure rates were 81.3% for the 80 women available for follow-up. Asymptomatic pelvic organ prolapse was found in 7.8%, de novo urge symptoms in 6.3%, and recurrent urinary tract infection in 7.5% of the women. No other long-term adverse effects of the procedure were detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The tension-free vaginal tape procedure for treatment of female urinary stress incontinence is effective over a period of 7 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. carl.nilsson@hus.fi
authors.forename: Carl Gustaf
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Falconer
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezapour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000628:therapy*