A total of 109 patients submitted to surgery for the correction of urinary stress incontinence (USI) by two different techniques, i.e. anterior colporrhaphy (group I, n = 57) when cystocele grade II/III was present, and Burch procedure (group II, n = 52) when cystocele grade I was present, were reevaluated an average of 5 years after surgery (range: 54–66 months). The curve constructed with the reevaluation data showed a sharp superiority of the Burch technique in terms of correction of USI and associated genital prolapses. There was a progressive recurrence rate that stabilized at 5 years, with values of 78.9% in group I and 40% in group II. Anterior colporrhaphy was ineffective for the correction of any of these parameters in group I. The data clearly show the need to improve the presurgical diagnostic methods for the selection of patients that will benefit from treatment: detailed history of the current disease and auxiliary tests such as Q-tip test, transvaginal ultrasound, and urodynamic study. Other factors were associated with ineffective treatment in both groups, such as hypoestrogenism (20/109), excessive weight gain (19/109) and chronic intestinal constipation and/or coughing present in 36 patients, with recurrence in 28 of the