title: EAU guidelines on surgical treatment of urinary incontinence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines on urinary incontinence published in March 2012 have been rewritten based on an independent systematic review carried out by the EAU guidelines panel using a sustainable methodology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We present a short version here of the full guidelines on the surgical treatment of patients with urinary incontinence, with the aim of dissemination to a wider audience.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evidence appraisal included a pragmatic review of existing systematic reviews and independent new literature searches based on Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome (PICO) questions. The appraisal of papers was carried out by an international panel of experts, who also collaborated in a series of consensus discussions, to develop concise structured evidence summaries and action-based recommendations using a modified Oxford system.
  
  
  METHODS
  The full version of the guidance is available online (www.uroweb.org/guidelines/online-guidelines/). The guidance includes algorithms that refer the reader back to the supporting evidence and have greater accessibility in daily clinical practice. Two original meta-analyses were carried out specifically for these guidelines and are included in this report.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These new guidelines present an up-to-date summary of the available evidence, together with clear clinical algorithms and action-based recommendations based on the best available evidence. Where high-level evidence is lacking, they present a consensus of expert panel opinion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, UK. Malcolm.Lucas@wales.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Malcolm G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Ruud J L
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: Fiona C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Burkhard
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.forename: Arjun K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Nambiar
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neisius
authors.forename: Dirk J M K
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: de Ridder
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tubaro
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Pickard
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000601:surgery*; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards