Vaginal wall erosion after transobturator tape procedure

Transobturator Prolene tape insertion represents a new method of operative treatment for stress urinary incontinence. The first results show that it is a simple and effective procedure accompanied by a minimum number of complications. Since February 2004, 30 Monarc procedures were done at our department and no intraoperative complications were observed. However, two cases (6.7%) of vaginal wall erosion due to the Prolene tape were noted 6 weeks after surgery. In a subsequent surgical procedure, the periurethral portion of the tape was removed and a new Prolene tape was placed through the retropubic space. Three months after secondary surgery both patients were continent, with no sign of erosion. The transobturator approach was introduced to minimize the risk of complications. However, the greater prevalence of vaginal wall erosion after this procedure found in our series demands a scrupulous search for this complication and for the mechanisms leading to its occurrence.