Most women experience urinary incontinence at some point in their life. In women, the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is 49%. 1 SUI, defined by the International Continence Society (ICS) as the “complaint of involuntary leakage on effort or exertion, or sneezing or coughing,” impacts all aspects of life, including daily activities, sexual function, and psycho-socializing aspects. Several types of surgery can be used to treat stress SUI in women.
These procedures are designed to either support the urethra or the bladder neck or improve the function of the pelvic floor muscles and reduce incontinence. However, the lifetime risk involved with SUI surgeries is around 13.6%. 2 For patients who wish to undergo treatment, physicians should counsel them regarding the availability of observation, pelvic floor muscle training, and other non-surgical interventions. Physicians…
