Abstract
Suburethral meshes can be implanted via the classic retropubic route (TVT) or by a new insertion technique that passes the tape into the obturator foramen (TOT). In a retrospective study we compared one 18-month period of 94 TOT (tension-free obturator tape) and one 18-month period of 99 TVT (tension-free vaginal tape), which preceded the change in the approach route. All operations were performed by the same surgeon using the same Prolene mesh and withno other surgical procedure associated. These two series were similar in terms of patient age, previous surgical history, degree of incontinence and preoperative urethral closure pressure. The analysis shows morehemorrhagic complications in the TVT group (10%) than in the TOT group (2%), but the difference was not significant. Bladder injuries were more frequent in the TVT group (10%) than in the TOT group (0%), but there was one urethral injury in the TOT group. The mean follow-up was 29.5 months in the TVT group and 12.8 months in the TOT group. The urinary results were the same, with 90% and 95% cured, respectively. In conclusion, the obturator approach shows identical urinary results to the classic retropubic approach. Because of the nature of the procedure, major hemorrhage and bowel perforation are excluded in the TOT procedure. Thus simplicity, safety and continence result mean that the obturator approach represents the best method of suburethral tape insertion for the treatment of urinary stress incontinence.
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Abbreviations
- TOT:
-
Tension-free obturator tape
- TVT:
-
Tension-free vaginal tape
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Editorial Comment: These authors describe a comparison between tension-free vaginal tape and a new transobturator midurethral sling procedure. Although the study is significantly limited because of its non-concurrent, non-randomized design, and by the fact that follow-up was done via telephone with only 75% of patients, the authors do show that there are early data to suggest that the transobturator technique may have similar efficacy and fewer side effects than the tension-free vaginal tape technique.
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Mellier, G., Benayed, B., Bretones, S. et al. Suburethral tape via the obturator route: is the TOT a simplification of the TVT?. Int Urogynecol J 15, 227–232 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-004-1162-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-004-1162-8