Urinary Incontinence Surgery Q & A
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is an extremely common issue that causes stress and embarrassment for women all over the world. The two main types of urinary incontinence are:
Stress incontinence
Stress incontinence occurs when pressure on the bladder – brought on by something as simple as sneezing or laughing – causes leakage.
Stress incontinence begins when the tissue and muscle that should be supporting your bladder starts to weaken. When that happens, your urethra loses its support.
Your urethra is a tube that carries urine from your bladder outside of your body. When you are not urinating, your urethra seals by pressing against the connective tissue around it. When that tissue weakens, you run into leakage problems.
Urge incontinence
If you regularly have a sudden, urgent need to urinate, you could be living with urge incontinence, also known as overactive bladder. Medications or, in some cases, neuromodulation therapy, can often help minimize your symptoms.
What is urinary incontinence surgery?
Urinary incontinence surgery is designed to restore your bladder control and provide you with lasting relief. Surgery works by correcting the weak muscles and connective tissues that can’t be strengthened with exercise.
With advances in technology, you now have more surgical options to provide you with relief, with less scarring and faster recovery times. At Texas Urogynecology & Laser Surgery Center, our team can recommend:
- A urinary continence sling
- Retropubic urethropexy, also known as a Burch procedure
A physician will discuss which option would be best for you.
What is the Burch procedure?
The Burch procedure is a proven surgical approach, the first to treat urinary incontinence. During the procedure, the surgeon repositions your bladder, attaching it to a ligament near your pubic bone. With a new source of support, urine is prevented from leaking. The surgeon performs this procedure with minimally invasive techniques or as open surgery.
What is a urinary incontinence sling?
A sling is a groundbreaking device that can dramatically improve your quality of life if you’re a woman living with stress incontinence. During a minimally invasive, 15-minute, outpatient procedure, the surgeon can use a midurethral sling to recreate the support your urethra needs, putting a stop to your stress incontinence.
How does a sling work?
A sling is a thin strap that the surgeon places under the neck of your bladder to offer your urethra the support it needs to seal closed. This procedure has an impressive success rate – up to 95% – in relieving women of stress incontinence.
Our surgeons offer two different types of slings:
- Midurethral sling
- Natural tissue sling
If you are living with urinary incontinence, don’t hesitate to talk to the expert staff at Texas Urogynecology & Laser Surgery Center about lasting solutions. Call their office or book your appointment online today.
