Radicality of parametrial resection and dysfunction of the lower urinary tract after radical hysterectomy

Sixty-six patients who underwent radical abdominal hysterectomy between 1971 and 1985 for stage Ib-IIb cervical cancer underwent urodynamic studies 1-15 years after surgery. None of the patients had received radiotherapy. Surgical specimens were processed as serial giant sections permitting measurement of the resected parametrial and paravaginal tissue. In 1984 parametrial resection was extended to the pelvic wall by the use of hemoclips. Impaired bladder sensation, bacteriuria, and residual urine were significantly more common among the patients who had more radical surgery, as were reduced flow rates and abnormal bladder compliance.