Does the tension-free vaginal tape stay where you put it?

OBJECTIVE: The tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) is a widely used procedure for the surgical treatment of urodynamic stress incontinence. Long-term follow-up data remain scarce. It has been speculated that scar formation leads to tape shortening and stiffening. This study was designed to longitudinally investigate tape position and mobility. STUDY DESIGN: An observational clinical study was performed using ultrasound parameters of tape position and mobility on Valsalva maneuver as main outcome parameters. RESULTS: Of 92 women eligible for a minimum of two postoperative assessments, 72 (78%) attended at least twice after TVT placement, at a median interval of 1.6 years. Sixty-eight data sets remained after exclusion of 4 patients who had undergone tape division. At the last visit, the tape was found to be more caudal, at rest (P <.001) and on Valsalva maneuver (P =.002). Tape mobility on Valsalva maneuver remained virtually unchanged. CONCLUSION: The TVT does not seem to contract or shorten over a median observation period of 1.6 years. On the contrary, it appears to slowly migrate caudally.