Interventions of correction of female urine profitable for society

2012/11/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Medikuntza

Urine leakage affects 15% of older women, but only one in four requests health care and does so when the problem is already serious. Manuel Montesino Semper, head of the urology section of the Hospital Virgen del Camino, in his doctoral thesis analyzes the economic cost of surgical interventions to overcome this problem in public health in Navarre. "When the costs are compared with the improvements that are obtained in the quality of life of the patients," he explains, "we come to the conclusion that from the point of view of the health economy, they are of effective cost, that is to say, they are socially profitable, since with a relatively low cost are obtained in the quality of life."

The leakage of urine causes the accidental exit of urine. In the case of older women, it is a remarkable loss of quality of life and poses a great challenge for urologists or gynecologists who care for them. According to Dr. Montesino, "this problem, sometimes hidden and taboo, represents high economic costs for health services and for patients themselves, in addition to other intangible costs such as insecurity or anxiety that can cause".

Some types of urinary leaks, which occur with physical effort and are not associated with the need or need to urinate, should be treated surgically. As a solution, artificial devices are currently used in the form of small meshes that are placed in the urethra, where urine leaves the bladder. These devices allow a better maintenance and fixing of the area and a better closure of the urethra.

The costs considered in this study range between the first consultation and the review per year of the intervention, and are around 1.250 euros per patient.

In addition to analyzing the economic cost of the intervention, the improvement of the quality of life of operated women has been evaluated, relating both parameters. The conclusion is that, from the point of view of the standards of the health economy, they are of effective cost, that is, they are socially profitable, with a relatively low cost, since they obtain significant benefits in the quality of life".

The study analyzed the results of 69 patients using questionnaires. One on urine leakage and another on general health, both questionnaires have international recognition and assessment.