Efficacy and complications in the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence by insertion of a silicone-coated polyester tape (Lift)

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a surgical treatment for stress urinary incontinence by implantation of a silicone-coated polyester tape (Lift). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 72 female patients having had a suburethral silicone-coated polyester tape inserted as treatment for stress urinary incontinence, combined or not with pelvic surgery. We recorded the patient's characteristics, the surgical procedure, the short and long-term results and complications. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients were operated, 60 of whom were fully evaluated. The average follow-up was 17 months. On 48 patients (80%) the treatment was successful, 3 (5%) were improved, and 9 (15%) were regarded as a failure. Dysuria occurred in six (10%) patients, five were de novo, and one was persistent. Ten patients (16.6%) presented de novo urge incontinence. The main complication was a higher rate of severe infections, accompanied by defective healing (4, i.e. 6.7%). CONCLUSION: The procedure using a silicone-coated polyester tape seems to be efficient, but insufficiently secure. This higher rejection rate leads us to prefer other synthetic materials proved to be better tolerated.