Assessment of the Results of Stamey Bladder Neck Suspension

A total of 48 patients with genuine stress incontinence underwent endoscopic bladder neck suspension; 36 patients (75%) were completely cured of their incontinence but 12 (25%) suffered recurrent leakage. In 2 cases this was due to infection and erosion of the vaginal sutures; in 4 cases failure was ascribed to a small capacity bladder and "pipe-stem" urethra. In the remaining 6 unsuccessful cases the Stamey sutures had cut through flimsy endopelvic fascia. It was concluded that endoscopic bladder neck suspension has advantages over colposuspension in terms of reduced dissection and hospital stay, but its success rate is lower than originally reported. Failures due to suture infection and buttress displacement may be avoided by not using Dacron and, instead, by picking up vaginal subdermis with nylon sutures--the same tissue used to provide support in a Burch colposuspension.