Urinary incontinence, or in layman's terms, "leakage of urine" is a common problem in modern medicine
Thanks to new achievements in medicine, it is now possible to successfully treat it using several different procedures.
Urinary incontinence or layman’s “urine escape” is a common problem in modern medicine that especially affects women. It is estimated that almost 50% of women have some form of urinary incontinence, and only 25-60% of women who have some symptoms seek medical help.
People with incontinence are reluctant to report problems when talking to doctors. The reason for this is discomfort, lack of information, lack of knowledge about possible therapeutic procedures and fear.
For most people, incontinence is still a taboo subject. However, thanks to new advances in medicine, it is now possible to successfully treat it with several different procedures.
In the case of severe to moderate stress incontinence, surgery is one of the possible solutions. Today, these are mostly minimally invasive surgical procedures with a short stay at the clinic and a quick recovery time.
According to the International Continence Society
(ICS)) Urinary incontinence is defined as the involuntary outflow of urine and is a health, hygienic and social problem.
The ability to retain urine is a complex mechanism that depends on several factors – anatomy and normal function of the urinary tract, but also on the function of the nervous system. Damage or disruption of the function of any of these systems can cause urinary incontinence.
Incontinence is a serious medical problem that impairs overall health. People suffering from incontinence have a poor quality of life, often suffer from anxiety and depression.
There are several therapeutic procedures that are successfully applied in the treatment of incontinence. At the Lohuis Filipović Polyclinic , we are oriented towards concrete and individual solutions. We offer state-of-the-art, non-invasive treatments such as Votiva by Inmode, as well as minimally invasive surgical procedures.
Stress incontinence is one of the most common forms of incontinence in the general population.
In this type of incontinence, there is an involuntary outflow of urine due to increased pressure in the abdomen, for example when sneezing, coughing, lifting heavy things , and the like.
In the case of a milder form of stress incontinence, treatment is possible with conservative methods, Kegel exercises, electrostimulation, etc. In moderate to severe forms of stress incontinence, surgery is one of the possible solutions.
There are numerous surgical methods that are used during the procedure, their common goal is; Returning the bladder neck to a place where normal urethral closing pressure can be achieved, and also to get a quality base underneath it on which to rely when stretching.
Proper diagnostics is necessary in order to choose the appropriate therapeutic procedure for you. If you suspect incontinence, the operation can only follow after consultation with our specialists so that we can choose the best solution together.
It is necessary to bring a sample of the medium stream of the first morning urine to the consultation so that we can do a urine culture.
Urine culture is a test that proves whether there is a bacterial cause of urinary tract infection and is important when determining the type of incontinence. Surgery may not be necessary if it is a mild type of disease.
After agreeing on the consultation, you will receive an information questionnaire via e-mail, which must be filled out. The questionnaire gives our expert a better insight into your complaints and problems, i.e. important information for choosing the right treatment and for assessing the long-term result.
For those who want to learn more, we recommend reading the most frequently asked questions about incontinence.
If, according to the overall clinical picture and symptoms of incontinence, surgery is the best solution for you, our professional staff will be with you at every step of the preparation and execution of the procedure.
After talking to a specialist doctor and agreeing on admission, you will also have an examination with an anesthesiologist with whom you will agree on the best choice of the type of anesthesia for you.
On the day of surgery:
You go to the operating room with an anesthesiologist and an anesthesia technician. During the operation, you will be given an antibiotic to prevent possible infections (especially of the bladder).
When the anesthesia works, we proceed to perform the surgical procedure.
The operation involves the use of synthetic tapes with which a belt or mesh is made to support the urethra.
The strips prevent the exit part of the bladder from lowering, which causes urine to escape.
After the procedure, you will go to the recovery room where you will be under the professional supervision of specially trained nurses until the anesthesia completely stops. If necessary, you will be given medication for nausea or pain.
If you decide to have the procedure without spending the night in the polyclinic, you can go to home care about 3 to 5 hours after the surgery.
About 4 weeks after the procedure, it is necessary to come for a follow-up examination where you will discuss your recovery and further procedures. During the consultation with the doctor, it is important to list any side effects of the medication or any problems that may have arisen.
Recovery after the procedure is not too complicated, it is recommended to rest for the first 2 weeks after the operation. After the mentioned period, you can gradually return to daily activities.
During the postoperative period, it is necessary to avoid straining and lifting heavy objects.
It is necessary to avoid sports activities for 4 weeks after the procedure, and it is recommended to avoid sexual intercourse for 6 weeks after the procedure.
In case of pain, you can take medication as recommended by your doctor.
The results of incontinence surgery are visible several weeks to months after the procedure. Treatment of incontinence by surgery has proven to be an excellent therapeutic solution successful in as many as 90% of patients.
Patients suffering from stress incontinence tolerate the operation to a greater extent well and usually recover after the procedure without major side effects. Very rarely , certain complications may occur in the postoperative period.
Urinary tract infections, bleeding, difficulty urinating, perforation of the bladder or urethra occur in a very small number of operated patients. As with any surgical procedure, side effects associated with the use of anesthesia are possible.
Most complications can be prevented by quality communication with our professional staff and following the instructions for home care that you will receive from us when leaving the polyclinic.
At the multidisciplinary Incontinence Center , we specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of all problems related to disorders of the genitourinary tract of women. Our team of gynecologists and urologists will work with you to find the best solution for your problem.
Detailed diagnostics are achieved through a targeted specialist examination and the most modern tests and examinations.
Urinary incontinence may not be a life-threatening problem, but it does have significant implications for quality of life. A number of factors affect the development of urinary incontinence.
Depending on the cause of incontinence, several types of this disease are distinguished. Each type requires a different method of treatment with an emphasis on an individual approach.
Stress incontinence – the inability to control urine occurs in situations of increased exertion. Due to the increased pressure in the abdomen that occurs when coughing, sneezing, laughing, running, lifting loads, additional pressure is created on the bladder.
In women with this type of incontinence, the pelvic floor muscles are weaker and there is a subsequent leakage of urine. It is common in women who have given birth more than once, who have had more difficult births and in overweight women.
In urge incontinence , the main symptom is a sudden and immediate urge to urinate, and urine escapes before reaching the toilet. Urge incontinence can be present in people suffering from overactive bladder syndrome.
In urge incontinence, the urge to urinate is often caused by triggers such as hand washing, the sound of water, going out into the cold, and the like.
Overflow incontinence – occurs as a result of overflowing urine from an overfilled bladder, and can also be associated with neurological diseases
The main goal of LF Polyclinic is to improve the quality of life and health of our clients by providing them with top-notch healthcare services.
