Introduction: Glutaraldehyde crosslinked bovine collagen has been used for periurethral bulking for the treatment of urodynamic stress incontinence since 1989 with variable success. A retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the factors involved in the long-term success of glutaraldehyde crosslinked bovine collagen used for periurethral bulking in the office.
Methods: Patients were followed objectively with stress testing after receiving periurethral collagen injection in the office under local anesthesia. Repeat injections were done as necessary during their follow-up appointments. The "success" group was defined as those women who demonstrated negative stress tests for over 1 year following their first injection.
Results: Nineteen of 184 women (10.3%) demonstrated negative stress tests for over 1 year following only one initial injection of glutaraldehyde crosslinked collagen. Their success lasted a mean of 829 days up to the time of follow-up.
Conclusion: Prior anti-incontinence surgery was the one factor analyzed that showed a trend toward this long lasting success. No other factors were predictive of negative stress tests for over 1 year. Prior anti-incontinence surgery seems to represent a factor involved in the long-term success of periurethral bulking in the office with glutaraldehyde crosslinked bovine collagen for the treatment of urodynamic stress incontinence.