Proposed Management of Low Urethral Pressure Type of Genuine Stress Urinary Incontinence

Abstract

One hundred and twenty-one patients with genuine stress urinary incontinence underwent urodynamic examination before and after Burch colposuspension. They were divided into two groups, one with preoperative urethral pressure of 20 cm water or less (n = 17), and the other with urethral pressure greater than 20 cm water (n = 104). Success rates at 12 months were significantly lower in women with low urethral pressure as compared with those with normal urethral pressure (65 vs. 88%; p < 0.01). Starting in January 1987, all patients with low urethral pressure preoperatively underwent a surgical procedure which combined the techniques of the Ball and Burch procedures. Short-term cure rate (at 3 months postoperative follow-up) in women with low urethral pressure was 83% as opposed to 70% with the Burch urethropexy (p < 0.05).