Urethrolysis with Martius labial fat pad graft for iatrogenic bladder outlet obstruction

This article evaluates treatment outcomes of urethrolysis with the Martius labial fat pad graft for patients with outlet obstruction after incontinence surgery. A total of 23 women were diagnosed with iatrogenic bladder outlet obstruction by urinary retention, urodynamic criteria, physical examination findings, and/or temporal relation of voiding dysfunction to anti-incontinence surgery. The urodynamic definition of female outlet obstruction was a maximum flow rate <12 mL/sec and a detrusor pressure at maximum flow >20 cm of water. Surgical treatment consisted of urethrolysis with complete circumferential urethral mobilization. A Martius labial fat pad graft was used to circumferentially wrap the urethra. No concurrent resuspension procedures were performed. Procedure efficacy was determined by retrospective review and phone interview. Mean patient age was 55 years (range, 37 to 85 years). Mean postoperative follow-up time was 15 months (maximum, 44 months). All patients related voiding dysfunction symptoms to their anti-incontinence surgery. In all, 17 of 23 (74%) patients had preoperative urinary retention requiring catheterization, and 63% of patients met urodynamic criteria for obstruction. After urethrolysis with a Martius labial fat pad graft, 20 of 23 (87%) patients had complete resolution of their obstruction; 3 patients required persistent catheterization. Postoperative stress incontinence was reported by 6 of 23 (13%) patients. Urodynamically documented detrusor instability occurred in 6 of 23 (26%) patients with de novo detrusor instability occurring in 3 of 15 (20%) patients.