The impact of tension-free vaginal tape on overactive bladder symptoms in women with stress urinary incontinence: significance of detrusor overactivity.

PURPOSE

We assessed the impact of the tension-free vaginal tape procedure on overactive bladder in women with stress urinary incontinence to determine the change in preoperative overactive bladder symptoms and the significance of detrusor overactivity in postoperative outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From January 2003 to December 2004 a total of 549 consecutive women with stress urinary incontinence underwent the tension-free vaginal tape procedure. Of these patients 180 (32.8%) had overactive bladder syndrome. Finally 132 women (mean age 53.2 years) with followup of at least 3 months were included in analysis. Patients with the overactive bladder syndrome with or without detrusor overactivity based on urodynamic study were subdivided into 94 (71.2%) patients with the overactive bladder syndrome without detrusor overactivity and 38 (28.8%) with the overactive bladder syndrome with detrusor overactivity.

RESULTS

The complete resolution of all overactive bladder symptoms based on 3-day frequency volume chart and a validated questionnaire was demonstrated in 23.5% (31 of 132 patients). The detrusor overactivity present group showed significantly greater urinary leakage per 1-hour pad test, maximal detrusor pressure and detrusor pressure at maximal flow rate than the detrusor overactivity absent group. There was no significant difference in the 2 groups in terms of cure rate for stress urinary incontinence. The detrusor overactivity present group had a significantly higher resolution rate than the detrusor overactivity absent group for overactive bladder (36.8 vs 18.1 %, p = 0.021).

CONCLUSIONS

The tension-free vaginal tape procedure can be performed in women with stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder including urge incontinence even if the patient has detrusor overactivity on urodynamic study. However, patients should be fully advised of the possibility of persistent overactive bladder symptoms and treatment for those symptoms after tension-free vaginal tape should be considered.