Publication:

Quality of life improvement following trans-obturator tape procedure in stress urinary incontinence: a prospective observational study

Background Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common but under reported condition in women that adversely affects day to day activity and overall well-being. The transobturator tape (TOT) procedure has emerged as a minimally invasive surgical option with favorable outcomes. This study aimed to assess improvement in quality of life (QoL) following TOT using a validated questionnaire.

Methods A prospective observational study was conducted in the department of obstetrics and gynecology, on 68 women diagnosed with SUI at a tertiary care institution. All participants underwent TOT surgery. Quality of life was evaluated using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) before surgery and at 6 months follow-up. Surgical success and complications were also analyzed.

Results The average age of participants was 46.2±8.5 years. The mean ICIQ-SF score showed a significant reduction from 16.8±2.3 preoperatively to 3.2±1.6 postoperatively (p<0.001). Successful outcomes were observed in 66 patients (97.1%), with 2 cases categorized as failures. Most women (95.6%) reported marked improvement in QoL. Minor complications included transient groin discomfort (8.8%) and short-term urinary retention (2.9%).

Conclusions TOT is an effective and safe surgical modality for SUI, resulting in substantial improvement in quality of life with a high success rate and low complication profile.