Transobturator Tape (Uratape ®): A New Minimally-Invasive Procedure to Treat Female Urinary Incontinence

Objective: Assessment of one-year results of a new technique of transobturator suburethral tape in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence. Methods: UraTape ®, a non-woven, non-elastic polypropylene tape with a 15 mm long central (suburethral) silicone-coated section was inserted via the transobturator route. The tape is inserted tension-free in a horizontal plane underneath the middle of the urethra between the two obturator foramens. The ends of the tape are tunnelled percutaneously with a tunneller. As the retropubic space is preserved intact, cystoscopy is not required. From May 2000 to February 2002, 150 patients with stress urinary incontinence without associated prolapse were operated and a minimum of 1 year follow-up was available for 32 patients (mean follow-up 17 months; range 13–29). The mean age was 64 years (range 50–81). All patients were assessed before surgery by clinical and urodynamic examination: 5 patients presented sphincter incompetence (maximum closure pressure