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Understanding the Graphs

Number of Operations

The number of operations indicates the total number of procedures carried out by each surgeon for stress urinary incontinence. This includes tapes, colposuspension, periurethral bulking agents and autologous sling procedures. 

The number of operations reported may be lower if a surgeon has only worked through part of the relevant time period. It is important to note that Urologists undertake only a minority of the total number of primary procedures for this condition but probably do carry out a higher proportion of the procedures for recurrence.

The data represents approximately 70% of the total procedures for stress urinary incontinence carried out by Urologists in England in 2014.

Patient Reported Outcome Measures

1. ICIQ-UI Short Form Questionnaire

The ICIQ-UI Short Form is a patient reported outcome measure (PROM) which assesses the impact of symptoms of incontinence on quality of life and outcome of treatment.  Patients complete the form at the time of initial assessment or prior to surgery to report the level and impact of their symptoms of incontinence and then again at follow-up post-procedure at three months. 

The data presented here indicate the improvement in the patient’s perception of the change in severity of symptoms using the ICIQ-UI Short Form.  The ICIQ-UI Short Form is an international standard questionnaire used to assess urinary symptoms. 

The health score categories are recorded as % improved, unchanged or worsened.

2. Pad Use Per Day (PPD)

Pad use per day (PPD) is a method to quantify urinary incontinence.  The number of pads used per day is recorded, as stated by the patient, pre-operatively and post-operatively to indicate the severity of urinary incontinence.

Pad usage categories are recorded as % improved, unchanged or worsened in severity. PPD usage is not reported for all patients who have undergone a procedure for stress urinary continence. PPD is a method to quantify urinary incontinence but, as noted above, not all patients are asked to report on PPD usage, and not all patients who are actually comply.

N.B. PROMs are highly subjective measurements: there is, therefore, a significant chance of variations between patients in the assessment of symptoms and outcomes