Vesicourethropexy is a term used to describe a wide variety of surgical procedures performed to relieve stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The procedures all ultimately result in repositioning of the urethra and bladder neck. Vesicourethropexy is usually considered only after more conservative forms of treatment have failed.
Stress incontinence is a type of urinary incontinence that occurs when the pressure inside the bladder that is produced by the contracting bladder muscles (detrusor muscles), along with the pressure in the abdomen (intra-abdominal pressure), exceeds the pressure of the closed urethra. Leakage of urine can obviously occur if the intra-abdominal pressure increases during exertion, such as when running or jumping or when the individual coughs, laughs, or sneezes.
In women, stress incontinence is believed to be the result of reduced pelvic-floor muscle tone secondary to childbirth and aging, and is most common in women who are not yet menopausal. Over time, weakness of the pelvic supporting tissue resulting in descent and/or rotation of the bladder neck can cause urinary leakage. The relaxed pelvic floor muscles will alter the angle of the urethra and bladder neck (urethrovesical angle), inviting correction by urethropexy or vesicourethropexy. In postmenopausal women, reduced estrogen levels may be a cause of incontinence. However, in both middle-aged and older women, the apparent cause of the incontinence is reduced muscle tone of the internal and external urinary sphincter.
Stress incontinence also occurs in men, most often in conjunction with prostatitis or following prostate surgery; males are usually treated medically. |
Source: Medical Disability Advisor