Abstract:

Objective To investigate the impact of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure on quality of sexual life of female patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and explore the related factors. Methods Ninety-four female patients with SUI received follow-up 6 months to 3 years after TVT procedure, and were investigated with Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ), including physiological factor, emotional factor and sexual partner factor. The higher PISQ score indicated better quality of sexual life. Eighty-six questionnaires were recovered, with the recovery rate of 91.5%. Results Among the 86 patients, there was no significant change in the total score of PISQ after surgery (P>0.05), while the emotional factor score significantly decreased, and the physiological factor score significantly increased after surgery (P<0.05). Among the 62 patients followed up within 1 year after surgery, the total score of PISQ, emotional factor score and sexual partner factor score were significantly decreased after surgery (P<0.05), while there was no significant change in the physiological factor score after surgery (P>0.05). Among the 24 patients followed up more than 1 year after surgery, there was no significant change in the total score of PISQ, physiological factor score, emotional factor score and sexual partner factor score after surgery (P>0.05). The total score of PISQ in 25 (64.1%) of the 39 patients with involuntary urine leakage in sexual life before surgery was increased after surgery, that in 10 (21.3%) of the 47 patients without involuntary urine leakage in sexual life before surgery was increased after surgery, and there were significant differences in the rates of improvement in quality of sexual life between them (P<0.01). Conclusion TVT procedure does not have consistent negative effects on sexual life of patients. There may be negative effect on sexual life of patients within one year after surgery, but it may gradually disappear later. The quality of sexual life of patients with involuntary urine leakage during sexual life before surgery may be improved after surgery due to the symptom alleviation.

Key words: stress urinary incontinence, tension-free vaginal tape procedure, quality of sexual life