Objective: To determine morphologic differences between Monarc and TVT-O procedures in axial and coronal planes by three- and four-dimensional (3D and 4D) ultrasound.
Study design: Retrospective chart audits and ultrasound analyses were conducted on 128 women who had undergone either Monarc or TVT-O procedures for urodynamic stress incontinence. Thirty matched pairs of the two successful procedures were randomly selected and compared. Matched variables were age, parity, body mass index, cesarean status, menopausal status, and primary surgeries. Six-month postoperative 3D and 4D ultrasound results obtained at rest, on straining, and during coughing in these 60 women were analyzed. Assessed ultrasound parameters included the axial tape urethral distance (aTUD), axial central urethral echolucent area (aUCEA), axial tape angle (aTA), and coronal tape angle (cTA), all of which were measured at three equidistant points along the tapes. Paired t-tests were used to compare differences in ultrasound parameters between women after the two procedures and a P value <0.004 was considered significant after Bonferroni correction.
Results: At rest, women subjected to Monarc procedures had a significantly wider aTA at one-fourth of the tape and a wider cTA at one-, two-, and three-fourths of the tape than did those subjected to TVT-O procedures. There were no significant differences in other resting ultrasound parameters between these two procedures. Additionally, after both procedures women had comparable straining and coughing ultrasound manifestations as well as respective dynamic changes.
Conclusion: Despite flatter resting tape angulations in women following Monarc procedures, both Monarc and TVT-O tapes had equivalent dynamic patterns and changes assessed by 4D ultrasound.
Keywords: Introital ultrasound; Tape angulation; Tape tension; Three-/four-dimensional ultrasound; Transobturator suburethral tape.
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