title: Long-term results of the tension-free vaginal tape procedure in an unselected group: a 7-year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate long-term effectiveness and late complications after treatment of female stress urinary incontinence with tension-free vaginal tape (TVT).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective observational study. Follow-up examinations included a standardized questionnaire, medical history, voiding diary, gynecologic examination with cough test, and introital ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-hundred-eight women (68.8%) from the initial cohort of 157 patients and 79.6% of those alive and able to cooperate were assessed. The median follow-up time was 102 months (range 85-124). The objective cure rate was 89.8%. The subjective cure rate was 82.4%, 13% had improved, 2.8% regarded the continence situation as unchanged, and 1.8% had an impaired stress urinary incontinence. No late-onset adverse effects of the surgery were found. Urge incontinence was the main reason for dissatisfaction with the surgery (in 90% of discontent patients).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data showed good results more than 7 years after TVT, demonstrating a high level of long-lasting efficacy for this minimally invasive incontinence procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. andreas.reich@uniklinik-ulm.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kohorst
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kreienberg
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Flock
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D053825:Suburethral Slings; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy