Effect of Resident Performance on Midurethral Sling Cure and Complication Rates

Aim: To evaluate the cure rates and complications of midurethral slings performed by residents under an experienced surgeon supervision. Material and Method: Between January 2013 and January 2014, one hundred forty-one midurethral slings performed in the urogynecology clinic of Ankara Zekai Tahir Burak Women%u2019s Health Research and Education Hospital were reviewed.Age, parity,body mass index,menopausal status, grade 2 preoperative pelvic organ prolapsus,concomitant vaginal surgery and intraoperative (bladder and bowel perforations,bleeding,vaginal laceration) and early postoperative (urinary retention etc.)complications were recorded.All women were re-examined at postoperative 6 th month and symptoms were questioned. The patients were classified as %u2018%u2019cured%u2019%u2019 if the stress test was negative , %u2018%u2019partially cured%u2019%u2019 if continence frequency decreased but still continued and %u2018%u2019unsatisfied%u2019%u2019 if there was no change in symptoms. Both TVT and TOT groups were compared in case of complications and cure rates. Results: Among 141 patients who had undergone midurethral sling due to urinary stress incontinence,50(35.5%) were TOT , 91(64.5%) were TVT. In the TVT group, 3 (3.3%) patients had bleeding which requires transfusion and 5(5.5%) patients had bladder perforations. But in the TOT group,there was no bladder perforation and bleeding that requires transfusion. In the early postoperative period, urinary retention was encountered in 7(14.0%) patients in TOT group and in 17(18.7%) patients in TVT group. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in case of complications. At postoperative 6th month, in the TOT group 76% of patients were cured,18% were partially cured and 6% were unsatisfied. In the TVT group, 83.5% of patients were cured, 12.1% were partially cured and 4.4% were unsatisfied and there was no significant difference in cure rates between the groups. Discussion: The success and complication rates of midurethral slings performed by residents under experienced surgeon supervision were comparable with the literature. Although the minor complications seem to be a little bit higher, it does not effect success rate and patient satisfaction