The Simplified Lapides' Operation for Stress Incontinence

Abstract

Forty-one women were operated on for stress incontinence using the simplified Lapides’ operation. Twenty-six had pure stress incontinence and fifteen had mixed stress and urge incontinence. Follow-up studies, 2–6 years after surgery, included interviews according to a special protocol and urodynamic analyses. The cure rate was high in the patients with pure stress incontinence (all cured or improved), while the results were not satisfactory in the patients with mixed stress and urge incontinence (7 of 15 cured or improved). A variety of urodynamic abnormalities were found in the group of failures. In some patients who considered themselves cured or improved there was a discrepancy between the result of the interview and the urodynamic findings. The technical advantages and disadvantages of the simplified Lapides’ operation are discussed.