Transobturator approach to suburethral sling placement in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women.

Minimally invasive suburethral sling procedures have become a mainstay for the surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women. The transvaginal tape sling is the urethral sling most commonly used today. Although the transvaginal tape procedure is safe and efficacious, complications such as bladder, bowel and blood vessel injury have been reported. The most promising recent innovation in minimally invasive surgery for stress urinary incontinence is the transobturator approach for sling placement. This review will cover the mechanism of continence, rationale for the use of suburethral slings in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence, characteristics of polypropylene, comparison of the slings that are commercially available and early data on the efficacy of the transobturator approach in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence.