Urodynamic characteristics of women with complete posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse

To review the symptoms and lower urinary tract function in women with posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse.

A retrospective review was carried out of the urodynamic records of 19 women with posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse who had been evaluated in the Bladder Function Laboratory of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University Medical Center.

A full urodynamic evaluation was carried out on 19 women who had had a hysterectomy and who had subsequently experienced complete prolapse of the vaginal vault. Vaginal eversion produced massive distortion of the lower urinary tract and was associated with complex symptoms. Among the cystometric findings in these patients was an early average first desire to void (94 mL) and a reduced average cystometric capacity (370 mL). Symptoms of voiding difficulty were common. During noninstrumented uroflowmetry, the average peak and mean flow rates were reduced in these women (16.5 mL/s and 8.1 mL/s, respectively), suggestive of functional obstruction of the outlet due to the prolapse. Pressure-flow voiding studies showed a reduced peak flow rate (11 mL/s) with an increased detrusor pressure at peak flow (50 cm H2O), also indicative of functional obstruction. All women underwent urethrocystoscopy, and no patient had a urethral stricture or urethral stenosis. Although symptoms of urgency (79%) and urge incontinence (63%) were common, detrusor instability was confirmed by urodynamic studies in only 3 women (16%), suggesting that urge-related symptoms in these women may often be due to anatomic distortion of the lower urinary tract rather than to detrusor overactivity. "Genuine" stress incontinence was documented in only 2 women (11%) during cystometry; however, when these patients were examined with full bladders with their prolapses reduced and returned to a normal anatomic position with a single-bladed speculum, the physical sign of stress incontinence was demonstrated in all 9 women (47%) who had a complaint of stress incontinence. This suggests that massive vaginal prolapse may mask an incompetent continence mechanism, which may then be revealed after surgical repair of the prolapse.

Women with posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse present complicated reconstructive problems for the pelvic surgeon. The same pathophysiological process may produce both voiding dysfunction and stress incontinence. These patients should be evaluated carefully before surgical repair is undertaken. Stress incontinence may not be demonstrated in these patients unless they are examined with a full bladder with their prolapse carefully reduced to a normal anatomic position. Women who demonstrate stress incontinence with the vaginal prolapse reduced and the urethra supported normally should be suspected of having "type III" incontinence (demonstrable stress incontinence in the presence of normal urethral support). Women with these findings may require a suburethral sling procedure if they are to remain continent after correction of posthysterectomy vaginal vault eversion.