What are TVT, PVT, and TOT?
TVT, PVT, and TOT are new procedural options for placement of synthetic sling material at the mid-urethra for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. TVT (Tension Free Vaginal Tape) is a new procedure developed in Sweden in 1995, and has since been performed widely over Europe and United States with good results. The procedure is similar to the sling in that a hammock is formed under the middle portion of the urethra to bolster it and prevent urine leakage when the area is physically stressed due to such activities as coughing, laughing, or jogging. The procedure takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour and may be performed under local or epidural anesthesia. Usually, patients can urinate without any problem immediately afterwards, and they can leave the hospital generally within 23 hours after surgery. The success rate has been found to be about 85-90% in women 5 years after their surgery, a rate comparable to the Burch procedure. However, because the TVT procedure is new, lon
