Monarc vs TVT-O for the treatment of primary stress incontinence: a randomized study

The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and complications of the Transobturator tape (Monarc) vs the tension-free vaginal tape obturator (TVT-O) in women with urodynamic stress incontinence. A prospective, randomized study was conducted. One-hundred and twenty patients were included in the study, and 114 of them were available at 12 months follow-up. Sixty-one patients were subjected to the TVT-O procedure and 53 to the Monarc procedure. Subjective and objective cure and improvement rate and complications incidence were assessed. The objective cure rate was 87% for the TVT-O procedure and 90% for the Monarc group. The subjective cure rate was 80% for the TVT-O group and 77% for the Monarc group. The improvement was 13 and 11.5% for the TVT-O and Monarc groups, respectively. There was one accidental injury to the urethra with the Monarc technique. The Monarc technique presents success rates and complications comparable to the TVT-O method at 1 year follow-up.