Quality of Life of Patients With Stress Urinary Incontinence Before and After Transobturator Tape Surgery: An Observational Study.

Introduction Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the involuntary leakage of urine during physical activities such as coughing, sneezing, or exercising. It can significantly affect the quality of life (QOL) of many women by causing embarrassment, reducing confidence, and limiting social or physical activities. SUI results from increased intra-abdominal pressure due to physical exertion. The transobturator tape (TOT) procedure is a common surgical intervention for SUI. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of TOT on the QOL of patients with SUI using validated instruments. Methods This prospective observational study included 59 women with moderate to severe SUI treated at a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India from December 2022 to April 2024. Patients underwent the TOT procedure, and QOL was assessed preoperatively and at six- and 12-month follow-ups using the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7) and the Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Ill), with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests applied to evaluate pre-post differences. Results Participants experienced significant improvements in QOL across all domains of both questionnaires. The mean IIQ-7 score decreased from 69.09 preoperatively to 11.22 at 12 months (p<0.001), indicating a reduced impact of SUI on daily activities. I-QOL scores also improved, with the "Avoidance and Limiting Behavior" domain increasing from 17.48 preoperatively to 64.94 at 12 months (p<0.001). Similar improvements were observed in the "Psychosocial Impacts" and "Social Embarrassment" domains. These results reflect enhanced social, emotional, and physical well-being in the long term following this surgical procedure. Conclusion The TOT procedure significantly improves the QOL of women with SUI. Patients reported reduced physical limitations, social embarrassment, and psychological distress postoperatively. These findings emphasize the importance of surgical interventions such as TOT in alleviating the multifaceted burden of SUI. Further research with larger samples is recommended to confirm the long-term benefits.