Value of transrectal ultrasonography in the assessment of failures of stress urinary incontinence surgery in women

• Published in: Archivos españoles de urología Vol. 50; no. 9; p. 977
• Main Authors: Fernández González, I, Ruiz de la Roja, J C, Sánchez Sánchez, E, Ruiz Rubio, J L, Llorente Abarca, C, Luján Galán, M, Bustamante Alarma, S, Berenguer Sánchez, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.11.1997
• Subjects: Aged; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Rectum; Treatment Failure; Ultrasonography - methods; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - diagnostic imaging; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - surgery
• ISSN: 0004-0614

To describe the role of transrectal ultrasonography as an alternative imaging technique in the evaluation of women who continue to be incontinent following surgical management of female stress urinary incontinence. The means of independent samples of transrectal ultrasound parameters of two groups of patients (group I, patients who were continent after surgery; group II, patients who remained incontinent after surgery) were compared. Patients who were continent after surgery showed scanty caudal and dorsal mobility of the bladder neck and proximal urethra during the periods of increased intraabdominal pressure. The US finding in this group of patients is characterized by a funnel surrounding the bladder neck and the proximal urethra. The existence of an intrinsically incompetent sphincter can also be determined with this technique. Transrectal ultrasonography constitutes an alternative imaging technique in the evaluation of women who continue to be incontinent following surgical management of female stress urinary incontinence. It permitis determining whether incontinence is due to a failed procedure, the existence of an intrinsically incompetent sphincter, or whether other causes of incontinence should be investigated.