title: Transfascial vaginal tape for surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the past decade, two minimally invasive, mid-urethral sling procedures have been developed to correct stress urinary incontinence: the tension-free vaginal tape and the transobturator tape. Using similar surgical principles, we describe the placement of a sling located at the mid-urethral level and placed laterally in the previously perforated endopelvic fascia. This technique was termed transfascial vaginal tape.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 2 to 3-cm-long vertical incision was made at the mid-urethral level. A suburethral tunnel was created bilaterally in the anterior vaginal wall until the endopelvic fascia and retropubic space were reached. A 1.5 x 8-cm monofilament polypropylene mesh was placed under the mid-urethra and laterally in the previously perforated endopelvic fascia. Bilaterally, the sling was sutured to the urethropelvic ligaments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We describe a new, simple, safe, minimally invasive, tension-free, and cost-effective technique for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Foglia
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mistrangelo
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lijoi
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alessandri
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ragni
mesh_terms: D005205:Fascia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000601:surgery*; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D014621:Vagina