Incontinence & Overactive Bladder Health Center
Related to Incontinence & Overactive Bladder (OAB)
Urologic Surgery for Urinary Incontinence
Treatments for Incontinence & Overactive Bladder (OAB)
Copyright © 2010 Woodbury Health Products All rights reserved.
1-800-777-1111
Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm EST
Surgical Options for Urinary Incontinence
Incontinence surgery is one of the last options a person that suffers with urinary incontinence should consider. Less invasive therapy may decrease your incontinence significantly, or eliminate it. Your healthcare provider can direct you on how to find a Continence Nurse Specialist to try pelvic floor rehabilitation first. There is also bladder training for those who suffer from urge incontinence and/or medication that have proven to be successful in treating incontinence.
If none of the non-invasive treatments work for you, surgery might be a consideration for help with incontinence. Today, with technology changing all the time, the medical world offers several types of incontinence surgeries that treat stress and urge incontinence.
SURGERY for STRESS URINARY INCONTINENCE
Suburethral slings for stress urinary incontinence
The suburethreal sling is the most common type of incontinence surgery for stress incontinence in women. Data shows that more than 90% of incontinence surgery today are for suburethral slings.
The surgery involves a small vaginal incision, made just below the urethra. The sling, made of a synthetic material is then placed under the urethra and attached to the connective tissue of the abdominal muscles.
The suburethral sling works by supporting the urethra and actually strengthening that region of the urethra by using tension. Ultimately, when pressure such as coughing or sneezing presses on the bladder the urethra forced downward against the sling, closing off the urethra.
Tension-free vaginal tape for stress urinary incontinence
Tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) is a new type of sling surgery for incontinence. The principle of TVT is the same at the suburethral sling because the tape is used to create a hammock under the urethra in the same way, supporting it against pressure. However, TVT is a synthetic mesh that grips surrounding tissues and stays in place without sutures. TVT surgery is done in about 30 minutes. Recovery is quicker than suburethral surgery. But, the procedure is new so long-term research is results are not known.
Pubovaginal fascial slings for stress urinary incontinence
Pubovaginal fascial slings have the same principle as the TVT and suburethral sling. However, this surgery involved the use of your own abdominal issue to create a sling under the urethra and the pressure to prevent urethral leakage..
SURGERY for URGE INCONTINENCE
Bladder enlargement
Bladder enlargement surgery, also known as augmentation cystoplasty, is this incontinence surgery that involves adding a segment of bowel to the bladder to increase bladder size, giving the bladder more capacity to store urine.
Sacral nerve stimulation
Sacral nerve stimulation involves a small electrical stimulation implant, which is surgically placed near the sacral nerve in the lower back, usually under the skin in the upper buttock or the abdomen. The sacral nerve controls how the bladder is emptied. The device uses mild electrical pulses to act as a sort of bladder pacemaker, and can reduce or eliminate urge incontinence.
