Role of urodynamics before prolapse surgery

Predictors of persistent overactive bladder following surgery for advanced pelvic organ prolapse

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Reliable risk factors for persistent urgency following pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery are still unclear. We aimed to identify preoperative parameters related to persistent postoperative urgency in a cohort of women following surgery for POP stage 3-4 with concomitant overactive bladder (OAB).

METHODS

In this retrospective analysis, women with POP stage 3-4 and OAB who underwent POP repair during November 2012-December 2020 were included. Preoperative evaluation included history, Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q), multi-channel urodynamic studies and Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20). Surgical procedures included: anterior and posterior colporrhaphy, sacrospinous ligament suspension, anterior vaginal wall mesh repair and robotic-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. At the 12-month follow-up, urogynecological history, POP-Q evaluation, cough stress test and the PFDI-20 questionnaire were repeated.

RESULTS

One hundred seventy-three patients were included in the analysis. Resolution of urgency was observed in 56% of women. Variables associated with persistent postoperative urgency included body mass index (BMI) (27 kg/m² vs 25.7 kg/m², p = 0.04), preoperative increased daytime frequency (46.39% vs 61.84%, p = 0.05), urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) (51.46% vs 80.26%, p = 0.0001), detrusor overactivity (DO) (40.2% vs 61.84%, p = 0.009) and lower maximum flow rate on UDS (13.9 ml/s vs 15 ml/s, p = 0.04). Multivariate analysis confirmed preoperative DO (OR: 12.2 [95% CI: 1.4-16.6]; p = 0.01), preoperative UUI (OR 3.8 [95% CI: 1.3-11.0]; p = 0.008) and BMI > 25 kg/m² (OR 1.8 [95% CI: 1.1-7.2]; p = 0.04) as predictive factor for persistent urgency.

CONCLUSIONS

In women with advanced POP and OAB, being overweight, preoperative UUI and DO are related to persistent postoperative urgency. These findings will guide our future preoperative counseling and reinforce the role of UDS in POP management.

Risk factors for postoperative voiding dysfunction following surgery for pelvic organ prolapse

OBJECTIVE

Short-term postoperative voiding dysfunction (POVD) is common in women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse. It results in increased catheter burden for patients and health services, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), thereby escalating the overall cost of treatment. Our aim was to determine the risk factors for voiding dysfunction following surgery for POP in our unit.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective case-control study conducted in a tertiary center in the U.K. The study cohort included all women who underwent surgery for pelvic organ prolapse between March 2017 and March 2019 and had a failed trial without catheter (TWOC). The control group comprised consecutive women on the surgical database who passed TWOC. Relevant data, including demographic details, past medical history, intraoperative and postoperative factors, were collected. We used the Chi-square test to calculate the statistical significance and multiple logistic regression analysis using SPSS software to identify the risk factors.

RESULTS

286 surgeries were performed. After exclusion, 43 patients were included in each group. Baseline demographics were similar in both groups. The incidence of POVD was 15%, and none of our patients had long-term voiding problems. Logistic regression analysis identified five risk factors - advanced pelvic organ prolapse (OR = 2.654, p = 0.029), comorbidities (OR = 4.583, p = 0.019), preoperative anticholinergics and/or antidepressants (OR = 4.440, p = 0.004), sacrospinous hysteropexy/colpopexy (OR = 2.613, p = 0.041) and postoperative opioid use (OR = 3.529, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

We identified five risk factors to recognize the women who would benefit from advanced counseling and management plan following surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

Concomitant stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgery: Opportunity or overtreatment?

OBJECTIVES

The association between pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is very common. When POP surgery is indicated and the patient has concomitant SUI, there are two treatment strategies: the one-step strategy (concomitant correction of POP and SUI) and the two-step strategy (correction of POP with subsequent evaluation of SUI). Guidelines from the International Continence Society and International Consultation on Incontinence recommend that a urodynamic assessment (UA) should be performed before surgery as this can reveal the presence of urodynamic SUI, but the role of UA is the subject of debate as it does not seem to improve treatment decisions. The aim of this study was to identify the presence of pre-operative urodynamic parameters that were predictive of POSUI, and to identify patients who could benefit from concomitant correction of SUI during POP surgery STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective evaluation was undertaken of 155 patients with at least second-degree POP who underwent POP surgery after UA between 2009 and 2016 in an Italian gynaecology and obstetrics department. Of these, 61 patients were clinically incontinent before surgery and 94 patients were clinically continent. After UA, patients were stratified using a maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) cut-off of 50 cmH₂O; the risk of POSUI was calculated using this value.

RESULTS

POP surgery alone resolved SUI in 60 % of the 61 clinically incontinent patients; only 30 % of these patients had urodynamic SUI and >50 % did not have POSUI. Thirty-six percent of the 94 continent patients had occult SUI on UA and 16 % developed de-novo POSUI. Seventy-five percent of all patients with occult SUI did not develop de-novo SUI. MUCP was lower in patients with POSUI than in patients without POSUI (p=0.013). The probability of POSUI was higher in patients with MUCP ≤50 cmH₂O. The number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one case of POSUI in these patients was 2, compared with an NNT of 4 in the continent group. Eight percent of patients underwent further surgery for SUI.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically incontinent patients with MUCP ≤50 cmH₂O will gain the greatest benefit from concomitant POP and SUI surgery. However, concomitant surgery has more severe adverse events. Given that 62.3 % of patients resolved SUI after POP surgery alone, it is important not to overtreat these women. Clinical pre-operative SUI is the best indicator of POSUI and was found to increase the risk of POSUI (odds ratio 3.2, 95 % confidence interval 1.5-6.8; p=0.003). Despite the small sample size, the two-step strategy appears to result in lower use of mid-urethral slings and a clear reduction in complications. It is important not to focus on the diagnosis of urodynamic SUI in continent patients but to evaluate MUCP carefully.

When should we use urodynamic testing? Recommendations of the Italian Society of Urodynamics (SIUD). Part 1 - Female population

Although, until a few years ago, the diagnostic power of urodynamic testing had never been questioned, recent studies in the literature have raised some doubts on the routine use of this tool. The benefits of the urodynamic studies (UDS) should be weighted against costs, time-consumption and patient discomfort. These recommendations are intended to guide clinicians in the right selection of the female patients to submit to a urodynamic evaluation. We reviewed the literature, regarding the use of UDS in female adults with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and pelvic floor dysfunction. Specifically, we analyzed and compared the guidelines and recommendations of the most important urology and uro-gynecology international scientific societies. These publications were used to create the evidence basis for characterizing the recommendations to perform urodynamic testing. A panel of 10 experts was composed and Delphi process was followed to obtain the panelist consensus. The final recommendations were approved by the unanimous consensus of the panel and compared with the best practice recommendations available in the literature. The recommendations are provided for diagnosis and management of common LUTS in female population. This review provides a summary of the most effective utilization of urodynamic studies for the global evaluation of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms and how to use them when really needed, avoiding unnecessary costs and patient inconveniences.

Impact of preoperative urodynamics on women undergoing pelvic organ prolapse surgery

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Preoperative urodynamic studies (UDS) are frequently performed before pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery to assess urethral and bladder function. The primary goal of this study is to examine how preoperative UDS are utilized and what value these studies have in patient treatment and/or counseling.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent prolapse surgery and had preoperative UDS between June 2010 and February 2015. Indications for UDS were classified into four categories: (1) occult stress urinary incontinence only, (2) overactive bladder symptoms, (3) mixed or insensible urinary incontinence, and (4) voiding symptoms and/or elevated post-void residual. We identified changes in management or counseling that were directly attributable to UDS results prior to surgery.

RESULTS

Three hundred ninety-two patients underwent urodynamic testing for indications 2-4 above, and 316 met the inclusion criteria. Fifty-seven percent (180/316) had OAB symptoms (34.4% wet, 65.6% dry), 40.2% (127/316) had mixed incontinence, and 17.1% (54/316) had voiding symptoms and/or elevated PVR. A total of 3.5% (11/316) patients had alteration in their management or counseling based on the results of the UDS; 29.4% (50/170) of the women evaluated for occult SUI alone or with other symptoms demonstrated it and 41 underwent sling placement.

CONCLUSIONS

UDS did not have a significant impact on preoperative management or counseling in POP surgery if demonstration of occult SUI was not the indication for preoperative study in women committed to POP surgery. Major alterations in treatment were rare and occurred mostly in women with stress incontinence that also had concomitant voiding symptoms and/or elevated PVR.

Urodynamic findings and functional outcomes after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional outcomes and urodynamic findings after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) in patients with stages II-IV pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

METHODS

In this single-center prospective study, we evaluated 63 women (mean age 62.5 ± 7.5 years) women with symptomatic and advanced POP (stage II-IV) who underwent LSC without concomitant anti-incontinence surgery. The preoperative evaluation incuded history, clinical examination, and urodynamic testing. Women were followed up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery and then annually using history, examination, and uroflowmetry. At 6 months, we performed urodynamic testing. To evaluate urinary symptoms, we used the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI)-6 questionnaire before and 6 months after surgery.

RESULTS

Median follow- up was 22 months (range 8-48). After surgery, maximum flow (Q_max) significantly improved compared with baseline (14.17 ± 2.3 vs 27 ± 8.4 ml/s; p = 0.02), and the percentage of patients with elevated postvoid residual (PVR) significantly decreased (33.3% vs 11.1%; p = 0.001). Detrusor overactivity and bladder outlet obstruction disappeared in 73.6% and 85.7% of patients, respectively, while detrusor underactivity persisted in 66.6% of women. Twenty women (31.7%) reported stress urinary incontinence (SUI) before surgery (14 clinically evident and 6 as occult form), which persisted in only 7/20 (11%) patients following LSC, with no de novo cases. The most common preoperative symptoms were voiding symptoms, present in 42/63 (66.6%) patients, which resolved in 36 (85.7%). The overactive bladder syndrome disappeared in 60% of women, with no de novo cases. Results were reflected by a significant decrease in UDI-6 score from a median of 16 (0-45) at baseline to 5.5 (0-17) at the final follow-up (p = 0.001). The domain on storage symptoms (median 3 vs 1) and voiding symptoms (median 3 vs 1) of UDI-6 showed an improvement after surgery (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The urodynamic finding showed that LSC in women with advanced POP provides good functional outcomes.

Urodynamics and diagnosis of urinary incontinence

The urinary incontinence diagnostic process should include a medical history focused on ailments related to it and their impact on the quality of patient’s life. The lack of proper control over the function of the lower urinary tract creates a lot of troubles for sufferers and prevents them from living an active professional, social, and family life. The patient with a suspicion of urinary incontinence is recommended to record in a voiding diary the number of mictions per day, the volume of urine, and episodes of incontinence. The invasive test called urodynamics is based on cystometry, profilometry, and uroflowmetry. A urodynamic examination performed in patients with incontinence allows for correct diagnosis and proposal of specific surgical or pharmacological treatment.