TOT 8/4: A Way to Standardize the Surgical Procedure of a Transobturator Tape

Biomed Res Int. 2016:2016:4941304. doi: 10.1155/2016/4941304. Epub 2016 Feb 15.

Abstract

Suburethral tapes are placed "tension-free" below the urethra. Several studies reported considerable differences of the distance between urethra and tape. These distances ranged from 1 to 10 mm amongst different patients. This either caused urethral obstruction or had no effect on urinary incontinence. Therefore, we decided to standardize the procedure by placing a Hegar dilator of 8-millimeter diameter in the urethra and another Hegar dilator of 4-millimeter diameter between the urethra and the tape during transobturator tape placement. Using that simple technique, which we named "TOT 8/4," we observed that 83% of the tapes were placed in the desired distance between 3 and 5 millimeters below the urethra.

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Suburethral Slings / standards*
  • Surgical Mesh / standards*
  • Urethra / pathology
  • Urethra / surgery*
  • Urinary Incontinence / diagnostic imaging
  • Urinary Incontinence / pathology
  • Urinary Incontinence / surgery*