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Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the unintentional release of urine. More
than 13 million women in the United States alone experience urinary
incontinence. It is twice as common in women as in men. If that
comes as a surprise, it's probably because urinary incontinence
- the sudden, unintentional release of urine - is one of those
things that no one finds particularly easy to talk about. It can
be a nuisance. It can be embarrassing. It can be uncomfortable.
And sometimes, it is much more - urinary incontinence can limit
your life so that you end up restricting or avoiding physical activity,
travel or social relationships because of it.
What is urinary incontinence?
Incontinence, simply defined, is an uncontrolled release of urine
from your bladder. Incontinence in women usually occurs because
of problems with the muscles that help hold or release urine. Three
sets of muscles are involved:
Bladder muscles. The bladder, a balloon-like
organ, is where the body stores urine (water and wastes removed
by the kidneys). During urination, muscles in the wall of the bladder
contract, forcing urine out of the bladder and into the urethra,
the tube through which urine leaves the body.
Sphincter muscles. Sphincter (sfingk-ter)
muscles are located at the base of the bladder. They relax to open
the urethra (yoo-ree-thrah), the tube that carries urine from the
bladder to an opening in front of the vagina, and then they contract
to close the urethra and stop urine flow.
Pelvic floor muscles. These muscles
support the uterus and organs of the lower urinary tract, including
the bladder and rectum.
Incontinence can occur if your bladder muscles suddenly contract,
if muscles surrounding the urethra suddenly relax, or if pelvic
muscles weaken.
Treatment option:
The majority of women with urinary incontinence have what is known
as stress urinary incontinence (SUI), a treatable condition that
affects women of all ages. GYNECARE
TVT* Tension-free Support for Incontinence is a quick
(usually less than 30 minutes), simple and minimally invasive treatment
for some women with stress urinary incontinence. GYNECARE
TVT is a doctor-applied ribbon-like strip that stops
urine leakage the way your body was designed to -- by supporting
your urethra
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and the recovery
period following the procedure is short - most women return to
their routine in just a day or two, and patients experience few
complications and minimal scarring after surgery. With an excellent
safety record and high success rate (98% of women who participated
in a study begun seven years ago are still dry, or experience significantly
less leakage 1, this treatment can stop urinary incontinence so
that you can take control of your life.
How it works?
GYNECARE
TVT stops urine leakage the way your body was designed
to- by supporting your urethra. Normally, the urethra is supported
by the pelvic floor muscle to maintain a tight seal and prevent
involuntary urine loss. In women with SUI, the weakened pelvic
floor muscle and connective tissue can't support the urethra
in its normal position.
To correct this using GYNECARE
TVT, your doctor will insert a ribbon-like strip
of mesh under the urethra to provide support whenever you stress
this area (such as during a cough or sneeze). This allows the
urethra to remain closed, when appropriate, preventing involuntary
urine loss.
The unique elastic properties of the GYNECARE
TVT, prevent the mesh from affecting normal voiding
and is made from a permanent material that will be incorporated
by your body.
The GYNECARE
TVT mesh will be placed in one of two different
methods based on your doctor's assessment. The mesh is placed
under the urethra and exits near the creases of the thighs
or is placed under the urethra and exits the abdomen just above
the pubic bone.
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