Positive Patient Experiences with TVT Sling Products: The Real Results

Positive Patient Experiences with TVT Sling Products: The Real Results

For 62% of women exhausted by planned bathroom breaks, resisting laughter, dodging workouts, or being too stressed to sneeze, it doesn’t have to be this way.¹ Tension-free vaginal tape (TVT), first introduced in 1994, has been changing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) treatment. Until now, support for TVT has only been affirmed by short-to medium-term studies.² However, this 2025 retrospective cohort study with up to 25 years shows a reassuring 76.3% of users reporting sustained SUI improvement.³

Caldera Medical is a medical device company solely focused on women’s health for the past 23 years, with a commitment to our mission of “Improving the Quality of Life for Women!” We develop, build, and market best-in-class surgical products for the treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence, pelvic floor disorders, and Pelvic Organ Prolapse, as well as for the hysteroscopic removal of intrauterine tissue. The recent acquisition of the TVT Family of Products reinforces our commitment to providing proven, effective treatments for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) for women.

In this blog, we’ll expand on the research and introduce Caldera Medical’s Gynecare TVT^TM Family of Products.

Patients’ Positive Experience with TVT Sling Products

SUI is the most common urinary incontinence, with 77% finding the urge bothersome, 29% reporting moderate to severe symptoms, and 22% calling it severe. It’s enough to impact daily routines, and our TVT products directly address leaking, offering targeted relief and improved quality of life.

What’s a TVT Sling?

Tension-Free Vaginal Tape is a minimally invasive sling procedure that supports the urethra with a narrow strip of synthetic mesh, typically made from synthetic polypropylene.⁴ The sling secures onto the body’s scar tissue that slowly forms. Keeping it tension-free, the tape is placed without stretching, reducing discomfort and the risk of long-term complications. All existing short-to-medium TVT studies have positive outcomes, with patients seeing significant improvements in continence and improved quality of life.

The 20–25-Year Urinary Incontinence Treatment Study

This retrospective cohort study examined 135 women who underwent the retropubic TVT procedure at the Ljubljana University Medical Center between 1998 and 2003. All surgeries were performed by two surgeons using the Gynecare TVT™ Sling. Data included medical records, follow-up medical appointments, and telephone interviews from January to March 2024. Outcomes were assessed using the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I), International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), and Urinary Distress Inventory–Short Form (UDI-6).

The Study’s Success

103 of 135 women, or 76.3% of patients, reported significant improvement in their continence symptoms based on the PGI-I, with a median of 2.0, or “much improved.”⁵ On the ICIQ-UI SF, the medium score was 7, indicating lingering symptoms, while the UDI-6 medium score was 22.22, reflecting urinary symptoms with some discomfort.

While immediate reaction may be to flag the scores’ suggestion of moderate ongoing symptoms, the study notes wide interquartile ranges, meaning symptoms varied severely. Yet, patient satisfaction remained high overall, suggesting that most found relief despite some persistent symptoms.⁵

85.9%, a majority, had zero post-operative complications.⁵ Urinary retention was observed in 13.3% of cases, though this was usually short-lived and resolved without long-term impacts. Tape erosion was rare, occurring in merely 0.7% patients, and no patients required long-term catheterization or revision to the tape due to voiding dysfunction throughout the 20–25-year follow-up. Notably, 97.8% did not require further surgical intervention.⁵

The results are impressive, particularly given the passage of time, with 20 to 25 years post-procedure evaluation, further corroborating the TVT slings’ long-term effectiveness.

Women’s Pelvic Health Solutions: Caldera Medical Gynecare TVT™ Sling Products

Caldera Medical has four variations for TVT sling products to accommodate different anatomical considerations and surgical techniques: the TVT Retropubic system, TVT Exact™, TVT Abbrevo™, and the TVT Obturator™.

Gynecare TVT Retropubic™ system

- Urinary incontinence sling with over 20 years of clinical use and experience.

- Backed by the most extensive long-term follow-up data in its category.

- Made of durable and flexible mesh material.

- Inserted through a small vaginal incision.

- Positioned behind the pubic bone and exits through the lower abdomen.

TVT Exact™

- Specially laser-cut mesh for precision and consistency.

- A refined insertion tool for improved control during surgery.

- Maintains the trusted effectiveness of the original retropubic system.

- Offers a smoother and gentler procedure for both surgeons and patients.

TVT-Obturato™ System

Backed by over a decade of research.

- Utilizes a transobturator approach, entering through pelvic side muscles and exiting near the inner thigh (not the stomach).

- Considered non-invasive, reducing certain risks such as bladder injury.

- Demonstrates a 90% objective cure rate and a 95% subjective cure rate.

- 83% of women achieve a complete objective cure.

TVT Abbrevo™ for Involuntary urine leakage

- The smallest of the TVT solutions, using 32% less mesh.

- Laser-cut design helps minimize tissue irritation for faster recovery.

- Uses transobturator access like the TVT-Obturator but less invasively.

- Provides a 50% reduction in postoperative pain during the first two days.

- A strong option for patients seeking a quicker, more comfortable recovery.

Considerations for Vaginal Mesh and TVT Procedures

It’s important to acknowledge concerns surrounding synthetic vaginal mesh and tape procedures, including the suspension or withdrawal in the UK and New Zealand.⁵ Impacted women reported delayed diagnoses, challenges accessing care, and dismissed concerns, prompting formal investigations that indeed revealed major shortcomings.⁵

This highlights the need for long-term outcome data on surgical treatments for SUI. Where TVT is used, comprehensive patient counseling, shared decision-making, and ongoing follow-up are critical and necessary for patient safety. Clinicians must openly discuss long-term benefits and potential risks, including late-onset urgency or possible retreatment, and offer tailored management and long-term monitoring to maximise outcomes and quality of life.⁵

Stress Urinary Continence Treatment: The Evidence Is Clearer Than Ever

Offering over two decades of follow-up data, this 2025 landmark study validates how TVT provides tangible and lasting relief for SUI. With a strong safety profile and high patient satisfaction, including a low re-intervention rate, Gynecare TVT™ is a strong choice for those silently struggling with SUI. Contact Caldera Medical today to learn more!

Explore Caldera Medical’s offerings, resources, and educational materials. Use our Physician Finder tool to connect with a pelvic health specialist in your area. You deserve support, relief, and confidence in your daily life. Start your journey today.

[accordion][accordion_item title=”Click for References”]

1. A. A. Yousef and J. Mangel, Stress Urinary Incontinence, in StatPearls (Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing, 2023), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539769/.

2. B. Thakar, M. Sultan, and D. F. Jones, “Long-Term Outcome of the Retropubic TVT Procedure for Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence,” European Urology, vol. 48, no. 6 (2005): 803–808, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2005.07.015.

3. Yousef and Mangel, Stress Urinary Incontinence.

4. Yousef and Mangel, Stress Urinary Incontinence.

5. Thakar, Sultan, and Jones, “Long-Term Outcome.”

[/accordion_item][/accordion]