[The use of the IPSS questionnaire in surgical patients. International Prostatic Symptom Score]

Some feasibility problems were detected during the evaluation of the IPSS questionnaire in Spanish that might limit its application. Our initial experience with the IPSS in patients undergoing surgery had 3 aims: 1) assess if changes in format and wording will improve feasibility; 2) evaluate symptoms before and after surgery according to the patients' point of view and 3) determine possible predictive factors of bad outcome in patients undergoing surgery for BPH. 50 patients were included and 35 completed symptom and urolow evaluation before and after the intervention. First objective: a modified format improved feasibility up to 92% (from 49% with the original format). Second objective: 7 patients had a poor symptomatic outcome (either worsened or had an unsignificant improvement), but only one of them had a low postoperative Qmax. Third objective: patients with preoperative urinary retention had a worse urodynamic outcome, but most improved in their symptoms. Worse symptomatic results occurred in: a) patients with a IPSS score smaller than 13 and b) patients undergoing transurethral incision of the prostate. The results are presented both in global (comparison of mean values) and in an individualized manner to call upon the pitfalls in their interpretation.