Unsafe Drugs: Bladder Control May Be Less Effective Than Thought

An article published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that surgery to help improve bladder control in women may not be as effective as believed. Past studies of urinary incontinence surgery had indicated cure rates of 70 percent to 85 percent. The most recent article, however, says that incontinence is relieved in one 35 percent to 43 percent of women.

Bladder Control Surgery May Be Less Effective

The women in the study all suffered from stress incontinence. This is usually caused by childbirth and is more common after menopause. Stress incontinence can cause women to leak urine while running, coughing, sneezing, and any activities that put pressure on the bladder. In the most recent study, 655 women were underwent sling procedure operations or a Burch colposuspension. The sling procedure helped 47 percent of women, while the Burch technique helped 38 percent. However, Linda Brubaker, co-author of the study said that both techniques still had merit: "Women don't have to be perfect to get their life back."

Bladder Control May Be Less Effective Than Thought

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