Content Validity of a Patient-Reported Measure of Postoperative Recovery

Area of Science:

• Urogynecology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)
• Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs)

Background:

• Expedited recovery is increasingly emphasized after minimally invasive surgery (MIS).
• Urogynecology currently lacks a validated, simple question to assess patient recovery.
• Assessing recovery is crucial for understanding patient experience after POP and SUI surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore patient evaluation of postoperative recovery after MIS for apical pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and/or stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
• To confirm patient understanding of a recovery patient-reported outcome (PRO).

Main Methods:

• Sixty-three women undergoing MIS for POP or SUI within the past 4 weeks were enrolled.
• Cognitive interviews in English and Spanish were conducted to identify recovery components and PRO understanding.
• Interviews assessed factors influencing recovery perception and symptom resolution.

Main Results:

• Common recovery factors included pain, activity levels, and return to regular activities.
• Most patients defined recovery as returning to "normal," distinct from symptom resolution.
• The PRO question "To what extent do you feel physically recovered after surgery" was understood by all participants.

Conclusions:

• Women undergoing POP or SUI surgery define recovery as returning to normal or regular activities.
• "To what extent do you feel physically recovered after surgery" is a well-understood PRO for patients recovering from POP or SUI surgery.
• This validated question can aid in assessing recovery after urogynecologic MIS.