Provider Content
Focus On: One Solution For Stress Urinary Incontinence
Overview: GYNECARE TVT™ Tension-free Support for Incontinence
The first time you leaked urine when you laughed or sneezed, you may have chalked it up as a simple accident.
But when any pressure at all — coughing, picking up something heavy, exercise — causes recurring bladder leakage, you may have started wearing panty liners, sanitary pads or dark clothing, scoping out bathrooms in new places, even sticking closer to home — anything to shield you from embarrassment.
If you’ve been struggling with incontinence, you’re not alone – and help may be available through an outpatient medical treatment. Why keep planning your life around leakage if you don’t have to?
A Treatable Problem
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is treatable. Stress urinary incontinence is a condition in which sudden movements put stress on the bladder, causing urine to leak out involuntarily. While there are several types of incontinence, stress urinary incontinence is the most common, affecting 1 in 3 women, many of them after childbirth.
Why accept the limits that stress urinary incontinence can put on your lifestyle, when treatment can help?
GYNECARE TVT™ Tension-free Support for Incontinence is a 30-minute, minimally invasive, effective treatment for stress urinary incontinence. Most patients experience immediate results with significantly less or no bladder leakage. Moreover, 97% of women surveyed following treatment with GYNECARE TVT™ were still dry or had significantly less bladder leakage 11 years later!
You don’t have to live with stress urinary incontinence – learn more about GYNECARE TVT™ or ask a doctor today whether GYNECARE TVT™ is right for you.
GYNECARE TVT™ Tension-free Support for Incontinence is a lightweight mesh used in a minimally invasive, effective outpatient treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
Clinically Proven Safe and Effective
With over 1 million women treated worldwide – more than any other incontinence treatment of its type – GYNECARE TVT™ is clinically proven, safe and effective.
Most patients experience immediate results with significantly less or no bladder leakage. Moreover, 97% of women surveyed following treatment with GYNECARE TVT™ were still dry or had significantly less bladder leakage 11 years later!
These women were so satisfied with the treatment that 97% claimed they would recommend the GYNECARE TVT™ procedure to a friend.
How does GYNECARE TVT™ work?
GYNECARE TVT™ is designed to stop urine leakage the way your body was designed to – by supporting your urethra.
Normally, the urethra is supported by the pelvic floor muscles to maintain a tight seal and prevent involuntary urine leakage. In women with SUI, weakened pelvic floor muscles and connective tissue can't support the urethra in its normal position, which is why urine leakage occurs.
To correct this, your doctor will insert a ribbon-like strip of mesh, under the urethra to provide support whenever you stress this area, such as during a cough or sneeze. This helps the urethra to remain closed when appropriate, preventing involuntary urine leakage.
Who’s a Candidate for GYNECARE TVT™ Tension-free Support for Incontinence ?
You may be a candidate for GYNECARE TVT™ even if you have undergone surgical treatments for incontinence in the past. A doctor can help you assess whether GYNECARE TVT™ may be right for you.
You are not a candidate for GYNECARE TVT™ if you are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant, or if you are currently taking an anticoagulant therapy.
Again, a doctor can help you make the best treatment choice. Start by talking about your symptoms. He or she will be able to help you evaluate treatment options that work best for you. Find a doctor who can provide treatment or download a doctor discussion guide.
What to Expect
GYNECARE TVT™ Tension-free Support for Incontinence is a 30-minute, minimally invasive, effective treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
What Happens During the Procedure?
GYNECARE TVT™ is designed to stop urine leakage by supporting your urethra with a tape-like strip of mesh. Your doctor inserts the mesh in an outpatient procedure under local, regional or general anesthetic. Depending on your specific needs, the procedure may be performed using very small incisions. Your doctor can tell you specifically what will happen during your treatment.
The mesh acts as a supportive sling, allowing the urethra to stay closed when appropriate and preventing bladder leakage. Learn more about how GYNECARE TVT™ works or find a doctor who can provide treatment to discuss if it’s right for you.
What Happens After the Procedure?
Patients treated with GYNECARE TVT™ usually return home the same day. The rate of complications is low with GYNECARE TVT™, and most patients can expect a short recovery period.
While recovering, you should be able to resume most daily activities quickly, however, your doctor may advise you to avoid heavy lifting and sexual intercourse for 4 weeks.
Most patients experience immediate results with significantly less or no bladder leakage. Moreover, 97% of women surveyed following treatment with GYNECARE TVT™ were still dry or had significantly less bladder leakage 11 years later!
Long-term, most patients treated with GYNECARE TVT™ experience minimal or no scarring and report high effectiveness over time.
What Are The Risks With GYNECARE TVT™ Tension-free Support for Incontinence?
All surgical procedures present some risks, so be sure to talk to a doctor about whether GYNECARE TVT™ is right for you.
Complications associated with the procedure include injury to blood vessels of the pelvis, difficulty urinating, pain, scarring, pain with intercourse, bladder and bowel injury.
There is also a risk of the mesh material becoming exposed. Exposure may require treatment. Synthetic mesh is a permanent medical device implant. Therefore, you should carefully discuss the decision to have surgery with your doctor and understand the benefits and risks of mesh implant surgery before deciding how to treat your condition.
The GYNECARE TVT™ procedure should not be performed in pregnant patients. Additionally, because the mesh-like tape will not stretch significantly, GYNECARE TVT™ should not be used in women who plan future pregnancy.
For a complete description of risks related to this treatment, please see the Adverse Reactions section of the Risk Information.
This information represents no statement, promise or guarantee by ETHICON, INC., concerning insurance coverage, levels of reimbursement, payment, or charge. Please consult your payor organization with regard to local or actual coverage determination processes.
Talk to a Doctor About Stress Urinary Incontinence
Many women are understandably reluctant to talk to their doctors about stress urinary incontinence (SUI). In fact, many women don’t realize that 1 in 3 women suffer from stress urinary incontinence.
Not all doctors treat this form of incontinence regularly, so you may need to find a specially trained doctor in your area to learn more about the latest treatment options Find a doctor now.
Stress urinary incontinence is a common, treatable condition and GYNECARE TVT™ Tension-free Support for Incontinence can help you enjoy more of your life.
Read more articles about treating Stress Urinary Incontinence:
- About Urinary Incontinence
- About Stress Urinary Incontinence
Click here to check your symptoms:
http://www.pelvichealthsolutions.com/assess-your-symptoms
Click here to download questions to ask your doctor: http://www.pelvichealthsolutions.com/gynecare-tvt-sui
Click here to find a doctor in your area who can perform this procedure:
http://www.pelvichealthsolutions.com/physician_locator
GYNECARE TVT™ is trade mark of ETHICON Women's Health & Urology, a division of ETHICON, INC., a Johnson & Johnson Company.
