Urethral obstruction after anti-incontinence surgery in women: evaluation, methodology, and surgical results

To evaluate a group of women with voiding dysfunction and a low maximum flow rate (MFR) (less than or equal to 12 mL/s) after surgery for stress urinary incontinence (SUI); to establish diagnostic parameters indicating obstruction in an attempt to determine treatment selection; and to evaluate preliminary surgical results.

Eighteen women who underwent anti-incontinence surgery for SUI were diagnosed as having infravesical obstruction (IO). Thirteen women (group A [72%]) presented with clinically predominant symptoms of urgency, frequency, intermittency, and a variable vesical residual volume (RV), and five (group B [28%]) had as their most significant symptoms a high vesical RV and urinary tract infection that had been managed with intermittent catheterization (IC). The diagnosis of IO, suspected after clinical history, was established after physical examination and cystoscopic, cystographic and urodynamic investigations.

Bladder instability was demonstrated in 6 group A patients (46%) and 1 group B patient (20%) (P = NS). Mean MFRs were 8.07 and 7.2 mL/s, respectively, in both groups (P = NS). Mean maximal voiding pressures (MVPs) were 20.23 and 5 cm H20, and mean RVs were 57.46 and 174 mL, respectively; both differences were statistically very significant (P <0.01 and P <0.001, respectively). High to normal MVPs occurred in 2 patients overall (11%). Bladder neck overcorrection, midurethral distortion, and postsurgical cystocele were demonstrated in both groups in 11 (85%), 0, and 2 (15%) patients in group A and 3 (60%), 2 (40%), and 3 (60%) patients in group B, respectively (P = NS). Patients in group A were treated surgically with cystourethrolysis and a repeated, less obstructive anti-incontinence operation. In group B 2 women (40%) had a similar surgical procedure; 1 (20%) underwent isolated urethrolysis; and 2 (40%) are currently maintained with IC.

Among these 18 patients with voiding dysfunction after anti-incontinence surgery, a primary diagnosis of IO was established clinically. Only patients with a low MFR were selected for this study. Cytographic and endoscopic investigation as well as the presence of postsurgical cystocele assisted in establishing the diagnosis. The success rate with urethrolysis and resuspension was 60% for the 13 women with predominantly urgency, frequency, and the highest MVPs (20.23 +/- 9.67 cm H20 [group A) and 33% for the 5 women with urinary retention presenting the lowest MVPs (5.00 +/- 7.07 cm H20 [group A]) and 33% for the 5 women with urinary retention presenting the lowest MVPs (5.00 +/- 7.07 cm H20 [group B]). An added resuspension procedure is probably unnecessary in the latter group of patients and requires careful individual selection in the former group.