Long-Term Results after Suprapubic ARC Procedure for the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women: A Retrospective Data Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term safety and efficacy of the suprapubic arc (SPARC) procedure for the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Materials and Methods: 139 female patients treated by SPARC were included in this retrospective analysis, whereby 126 patients were available for follow-up after 1 year, 70 after 6 years, and 41 after 9 years. The cough test, pad test, uroflowmetry, and post-void residual volume measurements were performed. Severity of bother (visual analogous scale [VAS] 0-10), continence, and the satisfaction rate were assessed. Objective cure was defined as a negative cough test and pad weight ≤1 g, subjective cure as no urine loss during daily activities and no usage of pads. The VAS, pad weight, number of pads per day, and maximal flow rate were compared preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: Objective cure rates at 1, 6, and 9 years were 78.6, 71.4, and 70.7% and subjective cure rates were 72.2, 55.7, and 65.8%, respectively. The VAS, pad weight, number of pads, and maximal flow rate decreased significantly. Study limitations include a relatively small sample size and the retrospective fashion of the analysis. Conclusions: In the long-term context, SPARC showed to represent an efficient and safe procedure for treatment of female SUI.