Woman gets relief from incontinence

A 48-year-old woman, suffering from continence, a condition characterised by involuntary loss of urine, for the last one year, has finally got relief after undergoing surgery in the national capital.

Indu was suffering from the condition despite medication.

Said to be the first such surgery in India for treating female urge incontinence, Indu was operated at the Safdarjung Hospital Friday.

"Until now, only European countries had conducted 1,000 such surgeries. But now, it is possible in India also," said B.D. Athani, medical superintendent of the Vardhaman Mahaveer Medical College and Safdarjang Hospital.

The two-hour surgery, called Mesh Implant, is a permanent solution for women suffering from urge incontinence.

The mesh, which is a metallic structure, costs close to Rs.90,000.

"The mesh is placed in between the uterus and the urinary bladder which reinforce the uterine support. This is not a complex surgery and the patient can be discharged within four days," said Anup Kumar, head of the urology department.

He said problems in the bladder reflex and damages to the bladder nerves were the main reasons for female urge incontinence.

"My problem kept me away from social gatherings, and gave me a lot of trouble," Indu told IANS.

"Being the first patient (in India) to undergo such a surgery, I was initially a little nervous. Thankfully, my operation was a success. I do feel weak, but hope the response is positive," she added.

In the coming months, surgeons expect advancements in the process.

"In the next few months, a laparoscopic method may be used to conduct this surgery, allowing patients to get discharged next day," Kumar added.

He further said it took almost 10 years for the technique to reach India.

"No trained surgeon was available, neither was the special mesh available in India," he said.