Redo midurethral synthetic sling for female stress urinary incontinence

Tension-free transvaginal tape (TVT) placement has recently become the preferred therapeutic approach for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in some centers. There are, however, no clearcut guidelines of how to treat patients in whom the procedure has failed. We describe our experience with repeat midurethral synthetic sling (MUS) implantation after a failed similar procedure. Twelve women (mean age 64.3 years) who had undergone a MUS procedure [TVT—9, intravaginal sling (IVS)—2, transobturator tape (TOT)—1] for SUI underwent a repeat MUS (TVT—5, IVS—4, TOT—3) due to persistent or recurrent SUI. The time from the first to the second procedure was 1–48 months. Eleven out of 12 patients (91.7%) achieved full continence (mean follow-up of 23.2 months, range 14–44). We conclude that a repeat MUS for persistent or recurrent SUI is a viable option for patients after an unsuccessful MUS procedure.     

Tension-free vaginal tape sling for recurrent stress incontinence after transobturator tape sling failure

The transobturator tape (TOT) sling is a new minimally invasive technique to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Short-term follow-up studies show high success rates; however, as with any surgical treatment of SUI, failures are known to occur. The treatment of recurrent or persistent stress urinary incontinence after a TOT sling is therefore a new dilemma as well. In this paper, we describe the successful use of a retropubic tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) sling in five patients after failed TOT sling. We present case series of five patients who had TOT slings placed for stress incontinence that failed and subsequently had TVT slings placed for persistent SUI. The TVT slings were placed under local/regional anesthesia without removal of the TOT sling. Retrospective chart review of office and hospital charts was completed, and both objective and subjective data were collected. Five patients had TVT slings placed 6–30 weeks after early failure of TOT slings that were placed for stress urinary incontinence. Postoperatively, all patients with urodynamic testing showed evidence of intrinsic sphincter deficiency; however, all maintained urethral mobility of 30°. All five patients had successful treatment of their incontinence with the retropubic tension-free sling procedure with a mean follow-up of 17 months. Recurrent or persistent stress urinary incontinence after TOT sling may be treated with TVT sling without removal of the TOT sling. Further studies with larger numbers and longer-term follow-up is warranted.     

Pudendal neuralgia following transobturator inside-out tape procedure (TVT-O)--case report and anatomical study

Persistent pain after TVT-O procedure is a rare complication. Nerve injuries have been suspected as a cause of persistent pain. We present one case of atypical postoperative pain—pudendal neuralgia following TVT-O procedure—which persisted 3 years after the primary procedure. The patient required surgical removal of the tape, which brought only partial relief. Complete relief from pain was afterwards achieved with repeated local applications of anesthetics with corticosteroids. The recurrent stress urinary incontinence was treated with retropubic TVT. Pudendal nerve irritation was also described after retropubic sling procedure, and the cadaveric dissection indicated the theoretic possibility of nerve injury during retropubic sling procedure. To explain the mechanism of nerve injury, we performed cadaveric dissections on a formalin-embalmed female body. We were able to demonstrate the contact of the needle with the pudendal nerve after aberrant passage of the inserter.     

Measurement of transurethral bladder neck displacement during tension-free vaginal tape procedure

Introduction and hypothesis  

The rigid catheter guide is used during the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure to direct the bladder neck away from the retropubic passage of the sling arm. Our aim was to measure, using transperineal ultrasound, the amount of bladder neck displacement by the rigid catheter guide during TVT placement.     

Review article: Mid-urethral synthetic slings for female stress urinary incontinence

? Mid-urethral synthetic slings (MUSS) have grown in acceptance and popularity to gain a foremost position in stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery. ? There are numerous studies that provide a large amount of Level 1 and 2 evidence that support the concept of a sling placed at the level of the mid-urethra. ? Long-term follow-up has been published for the original tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure with the most recent publication providing Level 2 evidence with mean follow-up of 11.5 years of 69/91 (77%) of patients from the original series. There was objective cure was in 90% of women and 77% considered themselves subjectively cured, based on the Patient Global Impression of Improvement. ? Level 1 evidence with long-term follow-up has been provided comparing colposuspension to TVT at 2 and 5 years. At 5 years for the primary efficacy variable of a negative 1 h stress pad test, there was no difference in success (81% vs 90%). ? Two recent meta-analyses provide Level 1 evidence comparing outcomes for retropubic vs transobturator MUSS. One included 18 studies, randomized and cohort: cohort studies had a 12.3% failure rate for transobturator and 13.7% failure for the retropubic approach, randomized studies showed 5.7% failure in the transobturator vs 7.8% in the retropubic group. The other meta-analysis included 11 studies published 2008-2009, which found that the short-term cure rate was borderline inferior for the transobturator tape group (odds ratio 0.62; 95% confidence interval 0.37-1.00), nearly reaching statistical significance (P= 0.05). ? This review details further comparator evidence and evidence for use in specific patient groups (elderly, obese, intrinsic sphincter deficiency, mixed UI).     

Eleven years prospective follow-up of the tension-free vaginal tape procedure for treatment of stress urinary incontinence

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure. In a Nordic three-center prospective observational cohort study, 90 women with primary stress incontinence had a TVT operation performed in local anesthesia. Assessment included a 24-h pad test, a stress test, physical examination, and a visual analog scale for assessing the degree of bother. Patient's global impression of cure was obtained, and condition specific quality of life questionnaires were used. Seventy-seven percent of the initial cohort of 90 women and 89% of those alive and capable of cooperating were assessed 11.5 years after the TVT operation. Ninety percent of the women had both a negative stress test and a negative pad test being objectively cured. Subjective cure by patients global impression was found in 77%, 20% being improved and only 3% regarded the operation as a failure. No late-onset adverse effects of the operation were found, and no case of tape erosion was seen. The TVT procedure is safe and effective for more than 10 years.     

Suburethral tape via the obturator route: is the TOT a simplification of the TVT?

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.Abbreviations TOT Tension-free obturator tape - TVT Tension-free vaginal tapeEditorial 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.     

Repeat Tension-Free Transvaginal Tape (TVT) Sling for the Treatment of Recurrent Stress Urinary Incontinence

The pubovaginal sling is one of the preferred procedures for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence because of its improved long-term cure rates. Recently a modified technique of the pubovaginal sling, known as the tension-free transvaginal tape (TVT), has gained popularity. We present the first reported cases of repeat TVT pubovaginal sling for the treatment of patients with recurrent stress urinary incontinence. Both patients had repeat TVT slings performed between 6 and 9 months following the initial procedure without revision or removal of the previous TVT sling. Both patients reported surgical cure without significant intraoperative or postoperative complications. It appears that reapplication of the TVT polypropolene sling may be a viable option in the event of initial TVT sling failure.     

Randomized comparison of the suprapubic arc sling procedure vs tension-free vaginal taping for stress incontinent women

The purpose of this study was to compare the surgical outcome and attendant complications of the suprapubic arc (SPARC) sling and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedures. Sixty-two women with genuine stress incontinence (GSI) alone or combined with pelvic prolapse less than International Continence Society (ICS) stage II were randomly allocated to either SPARC or TVT groups. A routine suprapubic ultrasonography was performed for all patients 1 day after the anti-incontinence operation. A comparison of the peri- and postoperative results comprising surgical outcomes and complications revealed no significant differences between the two groups. Although the difference in the rates of bladder injury was not statistically significant (SPARC 12.9 vs TVT 0.0%, p = 0.112), it was clinically significant. Routine suprapubic ultrasonography revealed eight subjects had retropubic hematomas greater than 5 cm. The cure rate for SPARC was not significantly different from TVT (80.7 vs 87.1%, p = 0.706). We concluded that the SPARC sling and TVT procedures proved to be equally effective. Subsequent suprapubic ultrasonography, in particular for the symptomatic patients, was found to be of clinical merit.     

Repeat mid-urethral sling for recurrent female stress urinary incontinence

Introduction and hypothesis

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of repeat mid-urethral sling after a failed primary sling for stress urinary incontinence.

Methods

A total of 112 women with recurrent stress incontinence after primary mid-urethral sling underwent a repeat procedure between 2000 and 2011. All patients had a preoperative clinical and urodynamic evaluation. Outcomes were divided into three groups: cured (no more leaks), improved (decrease of leaks), or failed.

Results

All patients had urethral hypermobility and 12.9 % had intrinsic sphincter deficiency [maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP)?≤?20 cmH₂O]. Median MUCP was 41 cmH₂0. Overactive bladder was found in 5.7 % of women. The second sling placed was one of the following: retropubic Tension-free Vaginal Tape (49 %), transobturator tape (48 %), or mini-sling (3 %). No intraoperative morbidity was reported. After the second sling was placed, 68 (60.7 %) patients were subjectively cured and 18 (16.1 %) improved (76.8 % success overall) with a mean follow-up of 21 months. Success rates were 72.2 and 81.8 % for transobturator and retropubic slings, respectively, with no significant difference. Multivariable analysis showed higher odds of cure and improvement with the retropubic approach after adjusting for MUCP. Late complication rates were comparable to those observed after a first sling. Urodynamic parameters were not associated with postoperative success.

Conclusions

Repeat mid-urethral sling for recurrent female stress urinary incontinence is nearly 77 % successful ?in a group of patients with persistent urethral hypermobility. ?A retropubic approach might be preferred for patients with low urethral closure pressures.     

Management of recurrent stress urinary incontinence and urinary retention following midurethral sling insertion in women

INTRODUCTION

Synthetic midurethral slings are the most common operations performed for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). However, there is only very scarce evidence regarding the management of complications from these operations. The aim of this survey was to canvass expert opinion regarding the management of recurrent SUI and urinary retention following insertion of these slings.

METHODS

Expert urologists and urogynaecologists in the UK with an interest in SUI were identified. Three clinical scenarios on recurrent SUI and one on urinary retention following midurethral sling placements were emailed twice to the experts.

RESULTS

The majority of the experts chose a repeat synthetic midurethral retropubic transvaginal tape (TVT) as the procedure of choice for recurrent SUI in patients who had had a previous TVT or midurethral transobturator tape inserted. In patients who continued to suffer SUI after a failed second TVT, there were mixed results with experts choosing fascial slings, colposuspension and bulking agents as their preferred method of treatment. In women who develop urinary retention following a TVT, tape pull-down within two weeks was the preferred method among the experts. However, division of the tape within two to six weeks following the procedure was also popular.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on expert opinion, it is difficult to make a recommendation as to the best method of treating recurrent SUI or urinary retention following tape insertion. There is an urgent requirement for well conducted, multicentre, randomised clinical trials to look at the management of these complications and also the tools used to assess the patient before salvage surgical management.     

Monarc transobturator sling system for the treatment of female urinary stress incontinence: results of a post-operative transvaginal ultrasonography

The aim of the study was to determine Monarc (American Medical Systems) sling position after surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) through the transobturator approach. A total of 54 consecutive women with SUI were evaluated post-operatively with transvaginal ultrasound. A concomitant hysterectomy was performed in ten cases and a concomitant prolapse surgery in six cases. Ultrasound measurements include urethral length, the distance between the upper edge of the sling and the bladder neck (BN–S) and the BN–S/U ratio. The mean distance between the transobturator tape and the bladder neck was found to be 12.6 ± 3.2 mm in the group of patients who underwent the transobturator procedure alone, 13 ± 3.1 mm in the transobturator plus hysterectomy group and 12 ± 2.8 mm in the transobturator plus prolapse group. The superior tape margin was at the mid-urethra in 81.5% of patients and always at a distance greater than 7 mm from the bladder neck. Eight patients did not have satisfactory results after the surgery. Only in one out of these eight patients was the transobturator sling not found to be at the mid-urethra. The superior tape margin of the Monarc sling remained at the level of mid-urethra in the majority of cases. It was never located too proximally beneath the bladder neck.     

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.     

A magnetic resonance imaging-based study of retropubic haematoma after sling procedures: preliminary findings

OBJECTIVE: To determine, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the incidence of retropubic haematoma and any associated clinically significant effects after a xenograft (porcine dermis) sling (XS) or the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between October 2003 and March 2004, 24 consecutive patients presenting with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were enrolled in this prospective study; 12 each underwent an XS or TVT procedure. A vaginal balloon pack was used for only 3 h after XS and not after TVT. All patients had pelvic MRI 6-8 h after surgery. The primary outcome measure was the incidence and distribution of retropubic haematoma after each sling technique. Secondary outcome measures included the interval to the first three spontaneous voids, the bladder emptying efficiency of the first three voids, a visual analogue scale pain score at 24 h after surgery, and the short-term (6-month) cure rate for SUI. RESULTS: Overall, six (25%) patients (four XS and two TVT) developed a retropubic haematoma. Most commonly, they spread along the right paravesico-urethral space between the right half of the levator ani and the bladder neck. Patients with large haematomas took significantly longer to void (median 14.5 vs 6.0 h, P = 0.048). There was no difference in pain score in patients with or with no haematoma. None of the patients had clinically detectable haematomas in the suprapubic wound. All six patients with haematomas were cured or improved at the 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: MRI is a useful noninvasive method for detecting retropubic haematomas soon after surgery. There was a surprisingly high incidence of retropubic haematomas, especially after the XS procedure. Retropubic haematomas may influence postoperative voiding efficiency.     

Sexual function after suburethral sling removal for dyspareunia

Introduction  Impact on sexual function has received little attention in the medical literature for a long time. Because of the site of insertion of permanent tension free vaginal tape (TVT) the G spot might be affected or the tape might interfere with arousal and sensory stimulation. Recent studies have reported varying degrees of sexual impairment after TVT insertion ranging from 0% to 15% including dyspareunia. Aim  The aim of this study was to evaluate sexual function before and after suburethral sling removal due to postoperative female de novo dyspareunia. As a secondary outcome, general patients’ satisfaction with their overall continence situation was assessed. Patients and methods  Between December 2005 and December 2007, we included 18 female patients who complained of de novo dyspareunia after suburethral sling insertion for urinary stress incontinence. All patients filled in an FSFI questionnaire prior to sling removal and at 3 months postoperatively. Additionally, all women were asked to estimate their general satisfaction regarding their continence situation using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0 to 10, with 0 being the least satisfying situation and 10 being the most satisfying situation. All patients underwent gynaecological examination including ICS-pelvic organ prolapse staging (ICS-POP score). Results  Of the 18 slings, ten were transobturator tapes (6 × TVT-O, 2 × Monarch, 2 × unknown) and eight were retropubic tapes (7 × TVT, 1 × SPARC). Desire, arousal, lubrication, satisfaction, and pain improved statistically significant. Orgasm scores were low with median scoring of 1.5 scores before and 1.0 scores after sling removal, and they did not change significantly after sling removal. The satisfaction rate deteriorated from a median of 7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.3–7.7) to a median of 4 (95% CI 3.7–5.1; p = 0.99) but not statistically significant. Conclusions  Sexual function in patients with de novo dyspareuina is likely to improve after sling removal but not in all domains. Bladder function may deteriorate.     

Sling removal after the Vesica sling and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedures

PURPOSE: We describe our experience of sling removal performed after either the Vesica sling procedure (due to vaginal erosion or at the time of reoperation for recurrent stress incontinence) or the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure (due to persistent urinary retention). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 1997 to December 2002, we performed 19 Vesica sling procedures and 66 TVT procedures for the treatment of urodynamic stress incontinence. In the former procedures, four patients (21%) developed vaginal erosion and underwent total or partial removal of sling material (Hemashield made from bovine-collagen-injected woven polyester). In another three patients, stress incontinence recurred 2-4 years after the Vesica sling procedure, and they underwent total sling removal and the TVT procedure. Before using the urethral pull-down process (UPDP) in TVT procedures, 2 out of 23 patients (8.7%) developed persistent urinary retention and underwent either sling release alone or partial sling removal concomitant with a second TVT procedure. After the introduction of the UPDP, no patient developed urinary retention. RESULTS: Three patients in whom total sling removal was performed due to vaginal erosion after a Vesica sling procedure developed recurrent stress incontinence. One patient who underwent partial sling removal remained continent, but vaginal erosion recurred 2 years later. Patients who had total sling removal and TVT procedures due to recurrent stress incontinence after Vesica sling procedure became continent with an uneventful postoperative course. One patient who underwent transvaginal release of TVT tape (polypropylene mesh) due to urinary retention after the TVT procedure developed recurrent stress incontinence, and the other who underwent partial removal of TVT tape and a second TVT procedure had resolution of urinary retention without recurrence of stress incontinence. CONCLUSION: Prompt and total sling removal should be recommended for vaginal erosion after the Vesica sling procedure. In patients with urinary retention after the TVT procedure, partial removal of TVT tape and a second TVT procedure using the UPDP to prevent overtightness may be a preferable choice to attain both continence and resolution of urinary retention.     

Effect of tension-free vaginal tape position on the resolution of irritative bladder symptoms in women with mixed incontinence

The aim of this study was to determine whether the position of the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) has an effect on the resolution of irritative symptoms in women undergoing the TVT operation. Initial audit suggested that more distally placed tapes were more likely to result in the resolution of irritative symptoms. An appropriately powered study was designed to test this theory. Seventy-seven women with urodynamic evidence of detrusor overactivity and urodynamic stress incontinence underwent a transperineal ultrasound scan to ascertain the position of the tape after a TVT. The tape was categorised as proximal, middle or distal urethra. The resolution of irritative symptoms was assessed compared to the TVT position. Forty-five women had distal tapes, 30 had mid-urethral tapes and two had proximal tapes. Women with the TVT placed on the distal urethra were no more likely to experience resolution of their irritative symptoms than women with tapes on the mid-urethra (p  > 0.05). Placement of the TVT on any one part of the urethra is not more likely to result in resolution of irritative bladder symptoms.     

Analysis of risk factors associated with vaginal erosion after synthetic sling procedures for stress urinary incontinence

The goal of this study was to analyze the risk factors associated with vaginal erosion after synthetic sling procedure for stress urinary incontinence. Follow-up evaluations were at 1 week, 1 to 3 months, 6 months, and annually after the operation. The evaluations included detailed history taking, vaginal examinations, and perineal ultrasonographic urethrocystography. The vaginal erosion rate (6/239) after the synthetic sling procedure was 2.5%. We assessed the relationship between clinical features and vaginal erosion. Of these, only diabetes mellitus (DM) was a significant risk factor for vaginal erosion. Women with DM were 8.3 times more at risk than women without DM for developing vaginal erosion after synthetic sling procedure (p < 0.05). The vaginal erosion-free rate during the 24-month follow-up decreased significantly in women with DM. The rate of vaginal erosion associated with type III multifilamentous polypropylene sling (intravaginal slingplasty) is 10.7% more than that with type I monofilament polypropylene sling (such as tension-free vaginal tape and inside out transobturator vaginal tape) (p = 0.054). Women with DM should be informed that vaginal erosion is a possible complication after synthetic sling procedure.     

The benefit of early mobilisation of tension-free vaginal tape in the treatment of post-operative voiding dysfunction

Introduction and hypothesis  The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of early mobilisation of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) in cases of post-operative voiding dysfunction. Methods  Thirty-three consecutive cases of early mobilisation of TVT to treat post-operative voiding dysfunction were analysed retrospectively. In each case, the TVT was mobilised and loosened without dividing it, under general anaesthesia, within 2 weeks after the original procedure. Results  Voiding function subsequently returned to normal in 29 out of 33 women with no recurrence of original stress incontinence. The four remaining women had the tape divided. Conclusions  The study shows that early mobilisation of the TVT allows rapid resolution of post-operative voiding dysfunction without compromising the outcome of the original continence procedure.     

Tension‐free vaginal tape retropubic sling for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after Burch colposuspension failure

Objectives: To verify the efficacy and to clarify the mechanism of the tension‐free vaginal tape retropubic sling for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after Burch colposuspension failure. Methods: A total of 24 women having tension‐free vaginal tape retropubic sling placement for recurrent stress urinary incontinence after a previous failed Burch urethropexy were enrolled in the present study. Median follow up was 57 months (range 12–96). Pre‐ and postoperative urethral mobility and urodynamics were evaluated. Results: Preoperatively, all 24 patients had intrinsic sphincter deficiency and 14 had urethral hypermobility. Postoperatively, 15 patients were completely dry and two had a leakage of urine less than 5 g/h. The overall success rate was 70.8%. There was a significant postoperative increase of maximum urethral closure pressure (P < 0.001), and a decrease of average flow rate (P = 0.001) and urethral hypermobility (P < 0.001). When comparing successful with failure cases, only elevated maximum urethral closure pressure (P = 0.002) was significantly different. Multivariate logistic regression showed the change of maximum urethral closure pressure (P = 0.011) was the only independent parameter significantly correlated with the outcome of sling placement. Conclusions: Recurrent stress urinary incontinence with intrinsic sphincter deficiency after Burch colposuspension might be well treated with the tension‐free vaginal tape retropubic sling by effectively elevating the maximum urethral closure pressure.