Teaching patients clean intermittent self-catheterisation prior to anti-incontinence or prolapse surgery: is it...

To determine the value of pre-operative teaching of clean intermittent self-catheterisation (CISC) in women who undergo anti-incontinence and/or prolapse surgery and who are at 'high risk' to have post-operative incomplete bladder emptying.

Out of the 402 patients who underwent anti-incontinence and/or prolapse surgery at our institute (March 2008-March 2009), 48 patients had at least one obstructive lower urinary tract symptom and one obstructive urodynamic parameter before surgery and were considered at 'high risk' to have post-operative incomplete bladder emptying. They were taught CISC pre-operatively.

Out of the 48 patients, 7 (14.6%) had incomplete bladder emptying. The incidence of post-operative incomplete bladder emptying was higher in the older women (P < 0.01) but was not affected by the type of surgery or by any particular pre-operative urodynamic parameter. None of the patients in this 'high risk' group were required to perform CISC post-operatively.

Routine teaching of the technique of CISC to 'high risk' patients prior to anti-incontinence and/or prolapse surgery appears to be an unnecessary use of valuable nursing time as well as being an invasive intervention which is unlikely to be required post-operatively.