Effects of the transobturator tape procedure on overactive bladder symptoms and quality of life: a prospective study

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of transobturator tape (TOT) on overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and quality of life. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with stress-predominant mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) who had undergone TOT procedures were considered candidates for this research. Preoperative assessment included anamnesis, pelvic examination, cough stress test (CST), and validated symptom severity and quality of life (QoL) questionnaires. The primary outcome, improvement and cure rates of OAB symptoms were determined based on the patient's baseline scores in symptom-related questions in OAB-V8. Secondary outcomes included the success rates of SUI, changes in the QoL score and patient satisfaction rates. RESULTS: A total of 104 patients were included in the study. Sixty-two patients underwent TOT placement alone, and 42 patients underwent TOT placement along with prolapse surgery. The mean follow-up period of the patients was 30.47 months range: 13-52 months. At the first-year follow-up, 52 patients (50.0%) and 59 patients (56.7%) reported cure in preoperative urgency and urgency incontinence, respectively. The objective and subjective cure rates were 96.2% and 56.7%, respectively. A total of 80.7% of the cases had a 15-point improvement in QoL scores. CONCLUSIONS: MUS is not only a gold standard treatment in SUI but also presents as a promising treatment modality in stress-dominant MUI. Although the improvement rates of OAB symptoms significantly decrease over time, QoL and patient satisfaction rates remain higher than any other treatment in this patient group at the third-year follow-up.