Tension-free Vaginal Sling Procedures: Transvaginal Tape Procedure

Tension-free vaginal sling procedures: transvaginal tape procedure (TVT) is a treatment for urodynamically proven stress incontinence in women. TVT is a minimally invasive procedure that involves the placement of a small piece of polypropylene mesh (tape) around the pubic bones underneath the urethra. The urethra is the tube through which urine passes from the bladder to the outside of the body. The surgery helps close the urethra and bladder neck (the part of the bladder that connects to the urethra). With the TVT procedure, a 3 cm incision is made within the vagina immediately beneath the urethra, and two 3mm incisions are made on the lower abdomen, just above the pubic hair line. The tape, passed through the vaginal incision, is positioned under the urethra. The ends of the tape are secured to the belly incisions and adjusted just enough that its tension supports the urethra. The operative times for TVT vary greatly depending on the findings at the time of surgery. Average times range from 20 to 40 minutes with the patient under local anesthesia plus intravenous sedation, regional, or general anesthesia. TVT is a day surgery or a 23-hour observation surgery.

UAB Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery provides the highest level of evidence-based care for the full spectrum of women’s pelvic floor disorders. We stand apart from other programs because our board-certified or board-eligible physicians offer the full range of treatment options for women with urinary and bowel incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and other pelvic floor conditions. We feature minimally invasive surgical treatments for urinary and bowel incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, and we collaborate with colleagues in providing nonsurgical options for pelvic floor conditions.

Our urogynecologic and pelvic reconstructive surgeons and physicians are recognized nationally and internationally, including service as president of the prestigious Society of Gynecologic Surgeons, a select member group of more than 250 physicians involved in teaching and practicing advanced gynecologic surgery. In addition, our leadership has been appointed to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Urologic and Genitourinary Physiology and Pathology Study Section at the NIH Center for Scientific Review.

Urogynecology is all that we do, so you can depend on us to deliver individualized care in a sensitive fashion that fulfills your specialized needs.

Care Providers

Tracey Wilson, MD Trauma and Reconstructive Urology, Urology Gena Dunivan, MD Obstetrics and Gynecology, Urogynecology

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Resources

• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• National Institutes of Health