title: Periurethral injection of polyacrylamide hydrogel for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence: the impact on female sexual function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urinary incontinence can negatively affect sexual function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate sexual function in female patients treated for urodynamic stress incontinence (USI) by periurethral injections.
  
  
  METHODS
  This double-center prospective study included 29 female patients who were treated for USI by periurethral injections of polyacrylamide hydrogel (Bulkamid(®); Ethicon Women's Health and Urology, Contura, Denmark).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients answered the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire short form, the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, and the Patient Global Improvement Impression. The Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12 (PISQ-12) was used to evaluate sexual function at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Patients were also asked to rate their sexual activity by using a 10-mm visual analog scale at baseline and at 12-month follow-up. Subjective and objective success was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were discharged on the same day of treatment and there was no intraoperative complication. At 1-year follow-up, the subjective success rate was 89.7% and the objective success rate was 79.3%. At 1 year from the first treatment, all the 23 sexually active patients continued to have regular sexual life. Six women reestablished sexual activity after the treatment. The total PISQ-12 scores showed a significant improvement in quality of sexual life of patients who were sexually active before surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Periurethral injections of polyacrylamide hydrogel to treat USI are clinically effective and safe. These surgical procedures cause significant improvements in sexual function and sexual satisfaction of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Martino Hospital and National Institute for Cancer Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. ulrm@libero.it
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Leone Roberti Maggiore
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alessandri
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medica
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gabelli
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrero
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014521:Urethra; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D005782:Gels; C016680:polyacrylamide gels