THE WOMEN’S HEALTH GROUP, P.C.

9195 Grant Street, Suite 410, Thornton, CO 80229

Phone: 303-280-2229 (BABY)

300 Exempla Circle, Suite 470, Lafayette, CO 80026

Phone: 303-665-6016

www.whg-pc.com

URINARY INCONTINENCE

Urinary incontinence is a common problem, more so in women than men.  Women develop incontinence more often due to pregnancy, childbearing, and menopause.  Aging and infections are also causes of urinary incontinence.  Less common causes are medical disorders such as multiple sclerosis and medications such as diuretics (“water pills”).

There are various types of incontinence and they are treated differently.  Many patients do not realize there is help for this common problem.  Some types of incontinence can be treated with medication and others respond to surgical procedures.  Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is one type of incontinence that involves the unintentional loss of urine during sudden movements such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising.  There is no medication than can treat SUI.  Luckily we have minimally invasive surgical techniques that can address this type of incontinence.

Over the years there have been many surgical procedures to address SUI, but many have not “stood the test of time”, meaning the patient may have had good results initially, but their incontinence returned within a few years.  The most common surgical procedure performed by gynecologists to address stress incontinence is called a “TVT”, or Tension-free Vaginal Tape.  A TVT is a minimally invasive outpatient treatment that involves placing a sling below the urethra to provide support when a woman coughs, sneezes, etc. 

The long term results from a TVT have been better than any other surgical treatment for incontinence in the past.  Approximately 98% of women have complete resolution or improvement of their incontinence seven years after the surgery.  Pain associated with the procedure is minimal and most women are back to normal activity within a week.  Risks associated with the TVT are similar to any other surgical procedure, such as infection and bleeding.

If you suffer from incontinence, discuss this issue with your gynecologist.  You may be a candidate for the minimally invasive TVT procedure, or you may have a type of incontinence that responds to medication.  Your doctor can determine what type of incontinence you have based on your symptoms and a physical exam.