# The impact of age on stress urinary incontinence outcomes in patients who underwent trans-obturator tape procedures

## TL;DR

This study found that younger patients had better outcomes after a specific urinary incontinence surgery, though differences were not always significant.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into how age affects outcomes of trans-obturator tape procedures for stress urinary incontinence.

## Key findings

- Younger patients showed higher cure and satisfaction rates after the TOT procedure.
- Older patients had significantly higher post-operative ICIQ-SF scores.
- Differences in treatment success and satisfaction between age groups were not statistically significant.

## Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of age on stress urinary incontinence outcomes in patients undergoing the outside-in trans-obturator tape (TOT) procedure.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients who underwent the outside-in TOT procedure from August 2017 to July 2023 at the Sanlıurfa Training and Research Hospital. We separated patients into two groups according to age: Group-I ≤ 50, Group-II > 50. The Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire—Short Form (ICIQ-SF) were administered. The primary outcomes were the post-operative recovery rate and the post-operative ICIQ-SF score.

Seventy-seven patients who underwent outside-in TOT surgery, of which 45 (58.4%) patients were in Group-I, and 32 (41.6%) patients were in Group-II. Surgical outcomes were evaluated; while cured, improved and failed outcomes were observed in 26 (57.8%), 16 (35.6%) and 3 (6.7%) patients in Group-I, these values were 13 (40.6%), 12 (37.5%) and 7 (21.9%) patients in the Group-II (p = 0.105). Similarly, the number of patients who were satisfied, moderately satisfied and dissatisfied with the procedure were 28 (62.2%), 13 (28.9%) and 4 (8.9%) in Group-I, while these values were 14 (43.8%), 11 (34.4%) and 7 (21.9%) in Group-II (p = 0.085). The median post-operative ICIQ-SF score was statistically significantly higher in Group-II (1 vs 7.5, p = 0.003).

Although the treatment success and patient satisfaction with the TOT surgery were relatively high in the younger age group, the difference was not significant. In addition, the post-operative ICIQ-SF score was significantly higher in the older age group.