Female stress urinary incontinence. Treatment with collagen infiltration in the urethra

OBJECTIVES: To present the results obtained in patients with stress urinary incontinence treated with periurethral collagen injection. METHODS: 26 female patients with stress urinary incontinence were treated with bovine collagen injection; mean volume 10.8 cc. The results achieved by this therapeutic modality are described herein. RESULTS: Control evaluations performed during a period of one year showed highly satisfactory results had been achieved initially and the success rate gradually increased over the 12 months follow-up. Overall the final results showed a success rate of 34.6%, 38.4% showed frank improvement and 26.9% had a failed procedure. There were no significant differences in the results for both types of stress urinary incontinence. The results correlated with the severity of incontinence; the success rate was higher in the patients with low grade incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: Periurethral collagen injection is indicated in patients with type I and type III stress urinary incontinence who cannot benefit from surgery. Patients with type II stress urinary incontinence, however, do not benefit from this therapeutic modality.