title: Quality of life after SPARC sling procedure: a long-term retrospective analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To asses the effects on quality of life (QoL) in women with stress urinary incontinence after a SPARC sling procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a long-term retrospective study. The study cohort consisted of 54 women: 46 were available for follow-up examination and 8 were contacted by telephone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow-up was 5.3 years. The QoL assessed by using a visual analogue scale improved significantly from 6.9 at baseline to 2.8. The IIQ-7 (Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-Short Form) general score decreased from an average of 56.7 at baseline to 17.5 at the follow-up investigation. Using the Patient Global Impression of Improvement questionnaire, 57.4% of women characterized themselves as very much better, 20.4% as much better and 11.1% as a little better. Eighty-seven percent of women regarded themselves as satisfied, but 13% were dissatisfied with the outcome of the SPARC sling procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study a significant and stable long-term improvement in QoL could be observed in women undergoing SPARC sling procedure.
authors: Department of Urology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria. ecostant@unipg.it
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Heidler
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: Ofner-Kopeinig
authors: Erika
authors: E
authors: Puchwein
authors: Georg C
authors: GC
authors: Hutterer
authors: Karl
authors: K
authors: Pummer
authors: Guenter
authors: G
authors: Primus
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000737:chemistry; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D053825:Suburethral Slings; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D011126:Polypropylenes