AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:To evaluate the outcome of suburethral and transobturator sling in treatment of female stress urinary incontinence in 209 cases from 2002 to 2010. The criteria evaluated were success, failure, complications, operating time, ease of the procedure, availability and cost effectivity of the sling.DESIGN AND SETTING:A retrospective comparative study was carried out at a tertiary referral centre for female urinary incontinence.MATERIAL AND METHODS:A total of 209 patients (females from 27 to 79 years of age) with proven stress urinary incontinence were treated by suburethral transvaginal tape (TVT) type of slings in 101 cases and transobturator Monarc type of sling in 108 cases at the National Institute of Endoscopic Surgery and Urinary Incontinence Center, Mumbai, India, from March 2002 to June 2010. The maximum follow up was for 8 years.RESULTS:The TVT type of slings had higher complication rate like needle entering the bladder, retention of urine necessitating to cut the tape in the center and had a success rate of 94.5% compared to Monarc/Trivedi obturator tape (TrOT) type of sling with outside-in technique, which had a negligible complication (less than 1%), pain in groin or leg movement that reduced in 6 weeks and a success rate of 95%. Specially, the Indian design Trivedi's stress urinary incontinence tape (TSUIT) and TrOT with reusable needles, the cost was only 15-20% of the international brands.

OBJECTIVES:To compare the risk of ureteric injury in total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) using new vessel sealing devices (VSDs) and harmonic scalpel with simple scissors, bipolar and suturing. This was an evaluation of 1209 cases, carried out from May 1999 to April 2010.DESIGN AND SETTING:A retrospective comparative study was carried out at a tertiary gynecological endoscopic unit.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Out of 1209 patients, who had hysterectomies for various indications, TLH was done in 892 patients, 273 had vaginal hysterectomy and 44 had abdominal hysterectomy. We evaluated the incidence of ureteric injury in these cases.RESULTS:There was no mortality. In the group of vaginal and abdominal hysterectomy, there were no ureteric injuries. In the TLH group, we had 390 cases with simple scissors, bipolar and suturing with no ureteric injury. In 502 cases, new VSDs, e.g., plasma kinetic gyrus, Martin Maxim with Robi grasper, with or without harmonic 5 mm scalpel/ace were used. There were five ureteric injuries, all on the right side (one double ureter): first case was with Martin Maxim and Robi grasper, two with plasma kinetic gyrus 10 mm trissector, one with harmonic scalpel and the last one with scissors. We evaluated the reasons for such ureteric injuries, with experienced laparoscopic surgeons and the best possible set up. There were seven conversions to open surgery out of 892 cases of TLH, more due to poor case selection.