PURPOSE: Perineal ultrasound provides the most sensitive assessment of the degree of urethral mobility by measuring the pubo-urethral distance and angle.
To evaluate whether these indices may be determinants of success in prosthetic surgery for stress urinary incontinence, we conducted a retrospective study of patients treated with tension-free vaginal tape-obturator (TVT-O) surgery and assessed, by measuring the pubo-urethral distance and angle after TVT-O, whether there was any quantitative difference between the mean values measured in the group of cured patients and uncured patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 51 patients who underwent TVT-O and evaluated the failure rate by means of urogynaecological assessment. We also measured, using perineal ultrasound, the mean values of the pubo-urethral distance and angle between the two groups of patients.
RESULTS: We recorded a difference in the average pubo-urethral distance of 3 mm ± 1.2 at rest and 2.7 mm ± 1.2 under stress and a difference in the average pubo-urethral angle of 13° ± 6.3° at rest and 8° ± 6.3° under stress between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS: We obtained higher mean values of pubo-urethral distance and angle in uncured patients compared to those found in the group of cured patients.
Written by:
Torella M, De Franciscis P, Russo C, Gallo P, Grimaldi A, Ambrosio D, Colacurci N, Schettino MT. Are you the author?
Department of Gynaecology, Obstetric and Reproductive Science, Second University of Studies of Naples, Largo Madonna delle Grazie 1, 80100, Naples, Italy.
Reference: Radiol Med. 2014 Mar;119(3):189-94.
doi: 10.1007/s11547-013-0317-4
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 24557982
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