Treatment of stress urinary incontinence with a generic transobturator tape

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of using a generic tape tailored from type 1 monofilamentous, macroporous polypropylene mesh during transobturator tape (TOT) surgery.MethodsA prospective study was performed in a tertiary center in Cairo, Egypt, between July 2004 and December 2013. Women with stress urinary incontinence scheduled for TOT surgery using the outside-in technique were recruited. Monarc tape was used in all patients until November 2005, after which it was used for patients who could afford it only; generic tape was used in the other patients. The primary outcome measures were the objective and subjective cure rates.ResultsOverall, 431 women were included in analyses. After 5 years of follow-up, objective cure was achieved in 143 (94.1%) of 152 women who received Monarc tape and 249 (89.2%) of 279 who received the generic tape (P = 0.135). Subjective cure was achieved in 121 (79.6%) women who received the Monarc tape and 236 (84.6%) women who received the generic tape (P = 0.229). There were no significant between-group differences in postoperative urgency, de novo urgency, urge incontinence, voiding dysfunction, urinary retention, vaginal erosion, or the frequency of TOT-related reoperation or repeat anti-incontinence procedures.ConclusionThe TOT outside-in procedure can be easily, safely, and effectively performed in low-resource settings using a generic polypropylene tape.