Sedation with local versus general anesthesia for the tension-free vaginal tape Secur hammock procedure

Objective: To compare the intraoperative and immediate postoperative results achieved with the tension-free vaginal tape Secur (TVT-S) hammock procedure performed under local anesthesia (LA) versus general anesthesia (GA). Methods: Prospective randomized trial involving patients with symptomatic stress urinary incontinence grades 1 or 2 who underwent TVT-S under either LA or GA. Postoperative pain intensity, duration of hospitalization, rate of complications, duration of operating and recovery times, and number of additional procedures required were recorded. Results: Each group included 40 patients. The operative times were identical in the 2 groups, but the time spent in the recovery room was significantly longer in the GA group. Patients undergoing LA experienced less pain than did those undergoing GA Most patients in the LA group had day surgery, whereas most patients in the GA group went home 1 day after the surgery. No significant differences were observed for the rates of complications. Conclusion: Performing the TVT-S hammock technique under LA rather than GA reduces postoperative pain and shortens the duration of hospitalization. (C) 2011 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.