 Urinary Stress Incontinence
What is it?
Among women, morbid obesity is a big risk factor for urinary stress incontinence, or uncontrollable urine loss. A large, heavy abdomen and relaxation of the pelvic muscles due to morbid obesity may cause the valve on the urinary bladder to weaken, leading to leakage of urine with coughing, sneezing, or laughing. While urinary stress incontinence may occur regardless of someone’s age, gender, or body mass, the condition tends to be more severe in the obese.
How is it affected by bariatric surgery?
Bariatric surgery has been found to improve urinary stress incontinence. Less weight is placed on the bladder, and other physical changes take place to improve this condition.
What success have patients found through bariatric surgery?
A 2000 study of 500 patients showed 97 percent resolution of urinary stress incontinence in patients after gastric bypass surgery.8
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References
8 Wittgrove AC, Clark GW. Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass, Roux-En-Y 500 Patients: Technique and Results, with 3-60 Month Follow-up. Obes Surg 2000 Jun;10(3):233-39. |
