Clinical outcomes after total excision of transobturator tape inserted for treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

INTRODUCTION: Midurethral tapes (MUTs) were the most common surgical treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) between 2008 and 2017. Transobturator tapes were introduced as a novel way to insert MUTs. Some women have experienced life-changing complications, and opt to undergo a total excision of transobturator tape (TETOT). There is a paucity in evidence about the outcomes of TETOT, which is a complex operation. This study aims to report clinical outcomes of all women who underwent TETOT in a specialist mesh center. METHODS: All women between 2017 and 2022 who underwent TETOT in one mesh center were reviewed. Background demographics and preoperative symptoms were recorded retrospectively. Outcome data were collected using patient global impression of improvement (PGI-I) scales via telephone review and analyzed using SPSS 25. RESULTS: Forty-five women underwent telephone review in May 2022, on average 27.9 months (range: 3-60) after TETOT. Mean age was 55 and body mass index (BMI): 30; 82% were postmenopausal, 20% were smokers, and 73.3% had recurrent SUI before excision. Indications for excision were infection (4%), vaginal exposure (24%), urethral perforation (9%), and chronic pain not associated with other complications (60%). Two women with recurrent SUI opted for a concomitant fascial sling; both reported a PGI of "very much improved" regarding SUI postoperatively. Only 12 women (26.5%) did not have SUI before excision; of these 9 (75%) reported new SUI postoperatively. Pain improved for 57.8%, but worsened for 24.4%. Although not statistically significant (p = 0.055), more women who underwent TETOT for pain alone reported worsening pain than those with pain with an additional complication (37% vs. 5.55%). Overall, 62.2% women felt "better" after their excision, 17.8% felt "worse." DISCUSSION: After TETOT, 62% of women felt better. Improvement in pain was reported by 58%-those with chronic pain without another complication reported improvement in pain less frequently (48% vs. 72%) and worsening pain more frequently (37% vs. 6%). Existing SUI worsened in 65% of women and 75% developed new SUI. There appears to be discordance between reporting global improvement with worsening of commonly measured clinical outcomes. CONCLUSION: Outcome data are important for counseling women about the risks and benefits of TETOT. Women and clinicians may have different attitudes to the possible benefits of TETOT, as evidenced by women reporting feeling better despite continuing pain or SUI. Conventional outcome measures do not adequately capture all outcomes that are important to patients.

Assessment of the urogynaecology patient in primary care and when to refer.

Urogynaecological symptoms are commonly encountered problems in women of post-reproductive age, which have a major impact on quality of life in affected women. This review summarises a standardised approach to common urogynaecological problems in primary care, which focuses on making the correct diagnosis, assessing impact, evaluating for other relevant lifestyle and medical factors and indications for referral into secondary care.

Perioperative changes in superficial pelvic organ prolapse quantification system measurements after prolapse surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the values of perineal body (PB) and genital hiatus (GH) before and after posterior repair. We also evaluated the introital surface area (ISA)-a sum of transverse and longitudinal GH measurements. METHODS: This secondary analysis of a prospective case series included 94 women undergoing posterior vaginal prolapse surgery at a consultant urogynecology clinic between October 3, 2011, and October 2, 2014. Patients were examined in clinic using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification system with Valsalva maneuver, and in theatre pre- and postoperatively with traction. RESULTS: Immediately postoperatively, a statistically significant change (all P<0.001) was noted for GH (mean difference -0.59 cm), PB (-0.56 cm), and ISA (-0.87 cm) compared with preoperative measurement. This effect was maintained for GH (-0.42 cm) and PB (-0.40 cm) at 2 months' follow-up (both P<0.001), and for PB alone (-0.43 cm; P=0.04) at 8 months. ISA had a moderate correlation with GH (r=0.55). CONCLUSIONS: Posterior repair significantly improved PB length at months 2 and 8, and GH length at month 2. ISA did not correlate with prolapse stage. Changes in GH were not maintained beyond postoperative month 2.

Long-term outcomes of the Stop Traumatic OASI Morbidity Project (STOMP).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate long-term sustainability of the Stop Traumatic OASI Morbidity Project (STOMP) in reducing the incidence of obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI). METHODS: A prospective observational study of women undergoing vaginal delivery at a UK district general hospital between September 1, 2014, and February 28, 2017. The principles of STOMP involve encouraging upright positioning, verbal coaching to avoid expulsive pushing and to slow down delivery, and tactile support to the vertex to judge speed and slow down delivery. After a training period, STOMP was implemented for all vaginal deliveries. Clinical and demographic data on women affected by OASI were collected across a 30-month period. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of OASI. RESULTS: There were 8782 vaginal deliveries during the 30-month period after implementation of STOMP. There was a significant decrease in the mean incidence of OASI relative to the 9 months before implementation (P<0.001). There was a significant decrease in the incidence of OASI for both spontaneous vaginal and instrumental deliveries (both P<0.05). There was no change in the frequency of episiotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of STOMP led to a significant decrease in OASI, confirming the sustainability of this approach to improve outcomes.

Cystodistension versus cystoscopy in patients with refractory detrusor overactivity: a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Cystodistension may be offered as a treatment for patients with refractory overactive bladder. The reported efficacy is based on a number of case series. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of cystodistension in a randomized trial. METHODS: This was a randomized study comparing cystoscopy combined with cystodistension with cystoscopy alone. The primary outcome was improvement in the Urgency Perception Scale (UPS) score. Symptoms were assessed using the ICIQ Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS). Quality of life was assessed using the Urinary Distress Inventory (UDI). RESULTS: A total of 77 patients were recruited into the study with 42 randomized into the cystodistension arm and 35 into the cystoscopy-only arm. UPS scores had improved in both the cystodistension (41%) and cystoscopy (44%) arms at 6 weeks, but cystodistension provided no added benefit over cystoscopy alone. There was a significant improvement in ICIQ-FLUTS scores in the cystoscopy-only arm at 6 weeks (p = 0.01), but there was no significant improvement in the cystodistension arm (p = 0.09). At 6 weeks there were significant improvements in UDI scores in both arms (both p = 0.01). Despite statistical improvements at 6 weeks, no clinically therapeutic benefit was maintained by either procedure at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Cystoscopy produces some short-term improvement in bladder symptoms, but cystodistension does not.

Comparison between the Valsalva maneuver and intraoperative traction measurements in pelvic organ prolapse assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the assessment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) between the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) system with Valsalva maneuver and intraoperative measurement with mechanical traction. METHODS: A prospective observational study included 100 women with POP attending a tertiary urogynecology clinic in the UK and undergoing vaginal prolapse surgical procedures between October 2011 and October 2014. The women were examined in the clinic using POP-Q with the Valsalva maneuver and in the operating theater under general anesthesia with mechanical traction. The two sets of measurements were compared. RESULTS: All POP-Q measurements obtained with traction demonstrated significantly higher descent as compared with those measured by Valsalva maneuver (mean differences: Aa 0.64 cm; Ap 1.32 cm; Ba 0.96 cm; Bp 1.34 cm; C 3.57 cm; D 3.40 cm; all P<0.001). The perineal body and total vaginal lengths did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: Measurements of six POP-Q points obtained with traction showed a higher grade of POP than those assessed with Valsalva maneuver. On this basis, surgeons might decide on the extent of surgical procedure after examination under anesthesia; however, preoperative patient counselling would be essential to obtain consent for this approach. The clinical significance of the findings requires further evaluation.

Are voiding parameters a marker for the severity of quality of life impairment in women with overactive bladder symptoms?

AIMS: There is evidence of an association between voiding parameters and the presence of overactive bladder symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is any association between pressure flow study parameters and the degree of health related quality of life impairment in women with OAB symptoms. The null hypothesis is that there is no significant correlation between quality of life domain scores and pressure flow study parameters. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-seven consecutive women with overactive bladder symptoms underwent evaluation with a quality of life assessment plus filling and voiding cystometry. These data were used to evaluate for any correlation between pressure flow study parameters and quality of life domain scores. RESULTS: Fifty-six out of 167 women had proven detrusor overactivity (DO). There were no differences in voiding parameters or quality of life scores between women with DO and women without DO. There was no consistent correlation identified between quality of life domain scores and pressure flow variables. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence of an association between increasing quality of life impairment and voiding parameters in this cohort.

Can the incidence of obstetric anal sphincter injury be reduced? The STOMP experience.

OBJECTIVE: To reduce the incidence of third and fourth degree perineal tears. STUDY DESIGN: This was a quality improvement project followed by an audit of outcomes. The population consisted of all women delivering vaginally over a 12 month period following implementation of the quality improvement measures. Following a review of clinical factors associated with all third and fourth degree tears over a 3 month period and a review of relevant evidence, a series of measures to try and reduce the incidence of such tears were introduced. These measures were collectively known as STOMP (Stop Traumatic OASIS Morbidity Project). These were adopted by all staff in our unit, with an accompanying programme of workshops and a publicity campaign to promote staff engagement. Data were collected on all third and fourth degree tears for a 12 month period following project launch. The primary outcome was the incidence of third and fourth degree perineal tears over a 12 month period. RESULTS: There were a total of 3902 vaginal births during the 12 month period following project launch. Following full STOMP implementation, there was a significant decrease in the incidence of third/fourth degree tears (4.7% vs 2.2%, p<0.0001). The reduction was most pronounced in the first 5 months (4.7% vs 1.51%, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: STOMP is a simple and low cost series of measures that has lead to a significant decrease in the incidence of third and fourth degree tears in this cohort of women.

Is pretreatment cystometry important in predicting response to mirabegron in women with overactive bladder symptoms?

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to evaluate for any association between pretreatment cystometry results and outcome of treatment with mirabegron in women with overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study of women with OAB symptoms that proved refractory to conservative management. All women underwent filling and voiding subtraction cystometry prior to further treatment. Women were treated with mirabegron 50 mg once daily, and outcomes were evaluated after 6 weeks' treatment. The primary outcome measure was change in symptoms as indicated by response to the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale. The presence of detrusor overactivity (DO), the highest detrusor pressure recorded during the filling phase, the presence of urodynamic stress incontinence (USI), cystometric capacity, voided volume, maximum flow rate and detrusor pressure at maximum flow were all compared between responders and nonresponders. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 169 women; response rate to mirabegron was 69.8 %. There was no association between the presence of DO or maximum detrusor pressure during filling and USI, cystometric capacity, maximum flow rate and detrusor pressure at maximum flow and treatment response. In a subgroup with OAB symptoms refractory to previous treatment with antimuscarinics, there was an association between the presence of DO and a positive treatment response (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, there is no association between urodynamic findings and response to treatment with mirabegron. This may reflect the fact that mirabegron's mode of action mechanisms are not measurable using cystometry. In women with refractory symptoms, however, the presence of DO is associated with a positive response to treatment.

Third-line treatment for overactive bladder: should mirabegron be tried before intravesical botulinum toxin A therapy?

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Mirabegron is a new beta 3 agonist for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB). Although there are extensive data from randomised controlled trials, there is little real world evidence about its effectiveness and side effects. We conducted a prospective cohort study to evaluate the effectiveness of mirabegron as third-line treatment in patients with refractory OAB who did not benefit from antimuscarinic therapy and bladder drill. METHODS: The study was a prospective consecutive cohort of 67 women treated with mirabegron 50 mg. All the patients had symptoms of urgency with or without urgency incontinence and had failed to improve with bladder drill and at least one antimuscarinic medication. The outcomes were assessed after 6 weeks using the International Consultation of Incontinence Modular Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF), Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale and Kings Health Questionnaire (KHQ). RESULTS: The mean number of previous antimuscarinics was 2.81 (range 1-6). Forty out of 67 patients (60 %) described an improvement in their OAB. Responders demonstrated a significant improvement in 5 out of 10 domains of the KHQ. Similarly, the ICI-Q score improved from a mean of 12.7 (±5.3) to 9.2 (±5.3; p ≤ 0.008). Seven women (10 %) stopped mirabegron because of side effects. CONCLUSIONS: This post-marketing surveillance study confirms that mirabegron improves clinical and quality of life outcomes in patients with OAB. The rate of side effects was low. This study supports mirabegron use as a third-line treatment for overactive bladder.

Urethral dilatation: Is there any benefit over cystoscopy and distension? A randomized trial in women with overactive bladder symptoms.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of urethral dilatation (UD) on urgency symptoms in women with overactive bladder (OAB) and voiding dysfunction. METHODS: Women with OAB symptoms and a maximum flow rate of less than 15 ml/sec on a volume voided of 200 ml were eligible for entry to the trial. Fifty women with OAB symptoms and a maximum flow rate of less than 15 ml/sec on a volume voided of over 200 ml were randomized to undergo UD plus cystoscopy or cystoscopy alone. All subjects underwent filling and voiding cystometry pre-operatively and at 6 weeks' post-operatively. Subjective outcomes were assessed using the Urgency Perception Scale (UPS) and King's Health Questionnaire at baseline, 6 weeks and 6 months. The primary outcome measure was cure of urgency, defined using the UPS. RESULTS: Urgency was cured in 10/22 (45%) patients in the UD group and 5/28 (18%) in the non-UD group at 6 weeks (Odds ratio 3.8, 95% confidence interval 1.1-13.8, P = 0.03). Cystometric flow data were available for all patients pre- and post-UD. UD was associated with a significant increase in the flow rate centile from 1.66 to 8.54 (P = 0.01). At 6 months there was no benefit from UD with 4/22 in the UD group cured of urgency and 4/28 in the non-UD group cured (Odds ratio 1.3, 95% confidence interval 0.3-6.1, P = 0.50). CONCLUSION: UD confers a significant short-term benefit in cure of urgency over cystoscopy alone, but there is no significant benefit in symptom relief in the long term.

Three-year results from a randomised trial of a retropubic mid-urethral sling versus the Miniarc single incision sling for stress urinary incontinence.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: There are limited long-term efficacy data on single-incision slings. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the success rate of a single-incision sling versus a retropubic mid-urethral sling for cure of SUI at 3 years' follow-up, in order to assess whether there is a deterioration in efficacy over time. The secondary aims were to assess re-operation rates for each procedure and to evaluate any differences in disease-specific quality of life. METHODS: This study was a 3-year questionnaire-based follow-up of a randomised controlled trial of the Miniarc single-incision sling versus the Advantage retropubic mid-urethral sling. Patients were considered failures if they documented stress incontinence on the symptom domain of the King's Health questionnaire (KHQ) or had undergone repeat surgery for stress incontinence. RESULTS: Follow-up was available from 35 out of 38 women in the single-incision sling group (92.1 %) and from 26 out of 33 in the retropubic mid-urethral sling group (79.0 %). The overall 3-year failure rate was 20 out of 38 (52.6 %) in the single-incision sling group and 3 out of 33 (9.0 %) in the retropubic mid-urethral sling group (odds ratio 10.0, 95 % confidence interval 2.6-38.4). In the single-incision sling group, the failure rate increased from 40.5 % at 6 months to 52.6 % at 3 years with corresponding figures of 3 to 9 % in the retropubic mid-urethral sling group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, there was a significantly higher 3-year failure rate for the single-incision sling versus the retropubic mid-urethral sling. Both procedures had reduced efficacy over time.

Continence outcomes following partial excision of vaginal mesh exposure after mid-urethral tape insertion.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of recurrent stress urinary incontinence (SUI) following vaginal excision of exposed mid-urethral tape (MUT). STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective observational study in a tertiary urogynaecology unit of an inner city teaching hospital. The population consisted of 41 consecutive women seen with a vaginal mesh exposure following MUT insertion between 2000 and 2009, which failed to resolve with conservative measures. The primary outcome measure was the presence of symptoms of stress urinary incontinence following surgical excision of exposed mesh. RESULTS: The incidence of recurrent SUI following tape excision was 34.1%. Type of mid-urethral tape, menopausal status, and the time interval between tape insertion and excision were not found to be significantly associated with the risk of recurrent SUI. CONCLUSIONS: Over a third of women experience recurrent SUI after surgical management of vaginal mesh exposure following MUT insertion. Risk factors may be more comprehensively studied using prospectively collected cohorts.

What is the relationship between free flow and pressure flow studies in women?

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The relationship between free flow (FFS) and pressure flow (PFS) voiding studies remains uncertain and the effect of a urethral catheter on flow rates has not been determined. The relationship between residuals obtained at FF and PFS has yet to be established. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study based on 474 consecutive women undergoing cystometry using different sized urethral catheters at different centres. FFS and PFS data were compared for different conditions and the relationship of residuals analysed for FFS and PFS. The null hypothesis was that urethral catheters do not produce an alteration in maximum flow rates for PFS and FF studies. RESULTS: Urethral catheterisation results in lower flow rates (p < 0.01) and this finding is confirmed when flows are corrected for voided volume (p < 0.01). FFS and PFS maximum flow rates are lower in women with DO than USI (p < 0.01). A 6-F urethral catheter does not have a significantly greater effect than a 4.5-F urethral catheter. A mathematical model can be applied to transform FFS to PFS flow rates and vice versa. There was no significant difference between the mean residuals of the two groups (FFS vs PFS-two-tailed t = 0.54, p = 0.59). Positive residuals in FFS showed a good association with positive residuals in the PFS (r = 0.53, p < 0.01) CONCLUSIONS: Urethral catheterisation results in lower maximum flow rates. The relationship can be compared mathematically. The null hypothesis can be rejected.

Urgency resolution following prolapse surgery: is voiding important?

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective of this study was to assess whether resolution of urgency symptoms in women undergoing surgical repair of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is associated with any measurable change in voiding parameters. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study. Women with symptomatic POP stage 2 or greater requiring surgery and who had concurrent urinary urgency and/or urinary urgency incontinence (UUI) were eligible for inclusion. Uroflowmetry data was collected from eligible women with urgency who underwent POP repair both preoperatively and at 10 weeks postoperative. Previously published preliminary data were used for an a priori power calculation. Urgency was assessed pre- and postoperatively with the Urgency Perception Scale (UPS). Participants were divided into those who experienced urgency resolution and those with persistent urgency. Differences in voiding parameters were evaluated at baseline and postoperatively in the two groups. The primary outcome measures were change in maximum flow rate and presence of urgency symptoms as determined by the UPS 10 weeks postoperatively. A paired Student's t test was used to evaluate whether there was any significant difference in uroflowmetry parameters between the two groups postoperatively, with an unpaired Student's t test test being used to evaluate any differences in these parameters at baseline. Discrete data were evaluated using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-eight women were recruited to the study. Urgency resolved in 61.7 % of participants, with resolution being associated with a significant increase in maximum flow rate from 11.2 [confidence interval (CI) 3.4-20.1] to 26.9 (CI 17.1-35.2) (p = 0.03), even when corrected for voiding volume. CONCLUSION: This large prospective study indicates that urgency resolution after prolapse repair is associated with an increase in urinary flow rate, indicating a possible aetiological role for voiding in women with POP and urgency.

The effect of solifenacin on urethral sphincter morphology.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The aim of the study was to determine whether a 6-week course of 5 mg of solifenacin succinate used to treat mixed incontinence, produces measurable changes in the appearance of the urethral sphincter. METHODS: Twenty-six women undergoing treatment for mixed incontinence were recruited from a urogynaecology unit after failing to improve with conservative treatments and bladder drill. All underwent dual channel subtracted cystometry, which showed mixed urodynamic stress incontinence and detrusor overactivity. All patients underwent a 3D transperineal ultrasound before solifenacin therapy was started and after 6 weeks of treatment. The urethral length, width and volume of the smooth muscle and total sphincter volume were compared before and after the treatment. RESULTS: Clinically, 13 reported no improvement in either stress or urge incontinence. Eight women reported improvement in their urgency symptoms but no benefit in their stress leakage. Four women reported resolution of both stress and urge incontinence. One woman reported worsening of her bladder symptoms. There was no significant change in the urethral length (p = 0.27), width (p = 0.50), volume of smooth muscle (p = 0.87) or total sphincter volume (p = 0.60) before and after treatment with solifenacin. CONCLUSIONS: A 6-week course of solifenacin resulted in no measurable changes in the appearance of the urethral sphincter.

The association of changes in opening detrusor pressure with the resolution of overactive bladder symptoms after repair of pelvic organ prolapse.

AIMS: To evaluate whether changes in opening detrusor pressure (ODP) are associated with resolution of overactive bladder symptoms in women undergoing surgical correction of pelvic organ prolapse. METHODS: Forty women with DO and OAB together with anterior wall prolapse who underwent a repair between 2003 and 2007 were studied. Each woman was assessed pre- and post-operatively with a clinical assessment and cystometry. Opening pressures were recorded pre- and post-operatively for each patient by retrospective review of the pressure flow traces. Patients were divided into those who experienced resolution of OAB symptoms and those with persistent OAB symptoms. Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test was used to assess any change in opening pressures between these groups. RESULTS: Resolution of urgency with an anterior repair was associated with a significant fall in ODP from a mean of 27.9 to 11.7 cmH(2)O (P = 0.01). There was no significant pre-operative difference in ODP between women in whom urgency resolved and those in whom it did not. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a fall in ODP is associated with resolution of urgency in women undergoing prolapse surgery. This may imply that decreased urethral resistance is of importance in symptom resolution.

The predictive value of pre-treatment cystometry in the outcome of women with mixed incontinence treated with duloxetine.

OBJECTIVES: Whilst auditing the results of women treated with duloxetine, it was noted that some women with mixed urodynamic stress incontinence (USI) and detrusor overactivity (DO) reported worsening of their incontinence. Duloxetine works by increasing urethral resistance and may alter voiding function. Worsening voiding may result in worsening irritative symptoms. The aim of our study was to assess whether pre-treatment pressure flow studies predicted which women with mixed USI and DO became worse after treatment with duloxetine. STUDY DESIGN: Women were recruited from our one-stop urogynaecology clinic. All women complained of troublesome mixed urinary symptoms with moderate or severe stress incontinence. Their initial assessment included a detailed history, a physical examination, a 3-day urinary diary, King's Quality of Life questionnaire and filling cystometry. RESULTS: Fifty seven women were recruited. Thirty (52%) women recorded an improvement in their patient global impression of improvement (PGI-I) score; 18 (32%) recorded no change and nine (16%) women reported worsening bladder symptoms. Pressure flow studies of women who recorded a worsening of their incontinence were compared to those women who recorded no change or an improvement of their incontinence. The maximum flow rate (p=0.78), average flow rate (p=0.61), bladder capacity (p=0.14), detrusor pressure at maximum flow (p=0.68) and volume voided (0.66) showed no statistical difference when the two groups were compared. The pre-treatment voiding time (p=0.04) was statistically longer in women who got worse following treatment with duloxetine. CONCLUSION: Pre-treatment pressure flow studies may be useful in predicting the outcome of treatment with duloxetine. Women who report worsening of their incontinence are more likely to have a longer voiding time compared to women who do not report worsening. Hence a prolonged voiding time may predict a poorer outcome for women treated with duloxetine.

TVT vs TOT: a case controlled study in patients with mixed urodynamic stress incontinence and detrusor overactivity.

INTRODUCTION: Although transobturator tapes (TOT) have been suggested to be equivalent to retropubic tension-free vaginal tapes (TVT) in the management of urodynamic stress incontinence, there is very little evidence for their use in women with mixed incontinence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the TOT against the retropubic TVT in women with mixed incontinence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case controlled study was used with 34 women matched for age and type of procedure. RESULTS: Ten out of 34 (29.4%) patients in the TOT group required a repeat continence procedure versus 0/34 (0%) in the retropubic group. Patients who had undergone a TOT were significantly more likely to require repeat surgery (odds ratio 10.1, 95% confidence interval 2.6-38.2). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a higher failure rate in women undergoing a TOT for USI and DO compared to a retropubic TVT when assessed with a case controlled study.