Patient-selected goals: a new perspective on surgical outcome

Development and validation of a prediction model for postoperative urinary retention after prolapse surgery: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative urinary retention (POUR), a common condition after prolapse surgery with potential serious sequelae if left untreated, lacks a clearly established optimal timing for catheter removal. This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive model for postoperative urinary retention lasting > 2 and > 4 days after prolapse surgery.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of 1,122 patients undergoing prolapse surgery. The dataset was divided into training and testing cohorts. POUR was defined as the need for continuous intermittent catheterization resulting from a failed spontaneous voiding trial, with passing defined as two consecutive voids ≥ 150 mL and a postvoid residual urine volume ≤ 150 mL. We performed logistic regression and the predicted model was validated using both training and testing cohorts.

RESULTS

Among patients, 31% and 12% experienced POUR lasting > 2 and > 4 days, respectively. Multivariable logistic model identified 6 predictors. For predicting POUR, internal validation using cross-validation approach showed good performance, with accuracy lasting > 2 (area under the curve [AUC] 0.73) and > 4 days (AUC 0.75). Split validation using pre-separated dataset also showed good performance, with accuracy lasting > 2 (AUC 0.73) and > 4 days (AUC 0.74). Calibration curves demonstrated that the model accurately predicted POUR lasting > 2 and > 4 days (from 0 to 80%).

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed prediction model can assist clinicians in personalizing postoperative bladder care for patients undergoing prolapse surgery by providing accurate individual risk estimates.

Assessment of Urinary Dysfunction After Midurethral Sling Placement: A Comparison of Two Voiding Trial Methods

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Temporary urinary retention after midurethral sling (MUS) surgery requiring indwelling catheter or self-catheterization usage is common. Different methods for assessment of immediate postoperative urinary retention have been described. This study aimed to compare postoperative voiding trial (VT) success after active vs passive VT in women undergoing MUS surgery.

DESIGN

Comparative retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery practice at a university-affiliated tertiary medical center.

PATIENTS

Patients with stress urinary incontinence who underwent surgical treatment during the study period were eligible for inclusion. Excluded were patients younger than the age of 18 years, combined cases with other surgical services, planned laparotomy, and a history of urinary retention and patients for whom their VT was performed on postoperative day 1. The cohort was divided into 2 groups: (1) patients who underwent an active retrofill of their bladder using a Foley catheter and (2) patients who were allowed to have a spontaneous void.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 285 patients met the inclusion criteria for the study. Of these subjects, 94 underwent an active VT and 191 underwent a passive VT. There were no statistically significant differences in immediate postoperative urinary retention (30.8% vs 29.3%; p = .79) or time from surgery end to VT (233.0 ± 167.6 minutes vs 203.1 ± 147.8 minutes; p = .13) between groups. Urinary retention, as defined by a failed VT, increased from 10% to 29.3% when MUS placement was accompanied by concomitant prolapse repair procedure. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that undergoing a combined anterior and posterior colporrhaphy (odds ratio [OR], 5.13; p <.001) and undergoing an apical prolapse procedure (OR, 2.75; p = .004) were independently associated with immediate postoperative urinary retention whereas increased body mass index (OR, 0.89; p <.001) lowered likelihood of retention.

CONCLUSION

The method used to assess immediate postoperative urinary retention did not affect VT success. Concomitant combined anterior and posterior colporrhaphy and apical suspension were correlated with greater likelihood of VT failure whereas increased body mass index decreased odds of retention.

Surgical Patient Preoperative Readiness: Translation into French, Cultural Adaptation for Switzerland and Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study in a Tertiary Hospital

PURPOSE

Preoperative evaluation of elective surgery patients traditionally focuses on somatic and organizational aspects of the situation. Patient feelings of readiness, called preoperative readiness (PR), impacts postoperative outcomes, and yet is rarely evaluated. The Preoperative Assessment Tool (PART) is a validated and reliable 15-item questionnaire available in Filipino and English. A reliable tool is essential for evaluating PR within the Swiss health context to offer optimized and comprehensive perioperative care. The aim of this study was to both translate into French and adapt culturally the Preoperative Assessment Tool for Switzerland's francophone population, and to explore patient PR in the preoperative consultation within a Swiss tertiary hospital.

DESIGN

A mixed design with methodologic phases and descriptive study.

METHODS

A mixed design in two phases with a methodologic phase with (1) translation and (2) cultural adaptation for Romandie of the PART, following Wild's 10 steps methodology (n = 11) and (3) a cross-sectional exploratory descriptive study with pilot testing of the translated version in a general elective preoperative consultation in a tertiary hospital in Romandie (N = 88).

FINDINGS

Translation and cultural adaptations are well accepted and understood by the participants (n = 9/11), modifications are accepted by the authors and deemed adequate by the participants (n = 11/11). Time of completion is short (m = 69.06 seconds) and adapted to clinical context. The translated version has a Cronbach (α = 0.85) comparable to the original validated scale (α = 0.86).

CONCLUSIONS

The translation and cultural adaptation for Switzerland of the PART was achieved, and PR was explored. Further psychometric testing of the PART-FrenCH must be conducted to assess fully the tool before its use in a clinical setting. Including PR in preoperative evaluations could enhance patient-centered approaches and lead to improvement in the quality of care.

How Old Is Too Old? Outcomes of Prolapse Native-Tissue Repair through Uterosacral Suspension in Octogenarians

INTRODUCTION

Medical advancements are expected to lead to a substantial increase in the population of women aged 80 and older by 2050. Consequently, a significant number of individuals undergoing corrective prolapse surgery will fall into the elderly-patient category. The research indicates a notable rise in complications associated with prolapse surgery in patients older than 80, irrespective of frailty and other risk factors. Despite these challenges, the vaginal approach has been identified as the safest surgical method for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair in the elderly population. For this reason, we aimed to investigate the efficacy, complication rate, and functional outcomes associated with vaginal hysterectomy and an apical suspension/high uterosacral ligaments suspension as a primary technique for prolapse repair, both within a cohort of elderly patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent transvaginal hysterectomy plus an apical suspension procedure for stage ≥ II and symptomatic genital prolapse between January 2006 and December 2013. Anatomical and functional outcomes were evaluated. The Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) score was used to evaluate subjective satisfaction after surgery.

RESULTS

Sixty-five patients were included in the analysis. The median age was 81.3 years. All individuals exhibited an anterior compartment prolapse stage II or higher, and the majority also a central prolapse stage II or higher. Notably, all participants reported symptoms of vaginal bulging. Over half of the population (58.6%) complained of incomplete bladder emptying. The intervention for all participants involved a vaginal hysterectomy with an apical suspension. Sixty-three patients (96.9%) and forty-four patients (67.6%) underwent a simultaneous anterior or posterior repair, respectively. Long-term complications (>30 days from surgery) were observed during follow-up, with a median duration of 23 ± 20 months. Seven (10.7%) anatomical recurrences were recorded, five (7.69%) concerning the anterior compartment, one (1.5%) the central, and three (4.6%) the posterior. Nevertheless, none of them necessitated further surgical intervention due to symptoms. Significant anatomical improvements for the anterior, central, and posterior compartments were noticed, compared to preoperative assessment (p < 0.001 for Aa and Ba, p < 0.001 for Ap and Bp, and p < 0.001 for C). PGI-I values established that 100% of patients were satisfied (PGI-I ≥ 2), with a median score of 1.12. Consequently, objective and subjective cure rates were 89.5% and 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Vaginal hysterectomy combined with apical suspension, particularly high uterosacral ligaments suspension, is a safe and effective primary surgical approach, even in elderly patients.

Patient Removal of Urinary Catheters After Urogynecologic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To compare postoperative urinary retention rates in the early postoperative period between home and office catheter removal. Secondary outcomes included pain, difficulty, satisfaction, likelihood to use again, and health care utilization.

METHODS

We conducted a nonblinded, randomized controlled, noninferiority trial of women undergoing surgery for stress incontinence and prolapse from March 2021 to June 2022. Exclusion criteria were preoperative voiding dysfunction (need for self-catheterization or postvoid residual [PVR] greater than 150 mL), urethral bulking, and need for prolonged postoperative catheterization. Participants discharged with indwelling catheters because of an initial failed void trial were randomized 1:1 to home compared with office removal on postoperative day 3-4. For home removal, participants were instructed to remove the catheter at 7 am and to drink two glasses of water. If they had difficulty voiding 5 hours after catheter removal, they came to the office for a void trial. For office removal, participants returned for a backfill void trial with PVR assessment. Our primary outcome was rate of early postoperative urinary retention , defined as confirmed retention (PVR greater than half the voided volume) after catheter removal. Secondary outcomes were assessed at a 2-week call. Health care utilization (telephone calls and office visits) related to catheter issues was also assessed. At 80% power and α=0.05, we needed 100 participants (50/group) to detect a noninferiority margin of 11%.

RESULTS

Among 117 participants, the home (n=59) and office (n=58) removal groups were similar in mean age (60 years vs 61 years), mean body mass index (29 vs 30), pelvic organ prolapse quantification system stage 3 or 4, and proportion who underwent hysterectomy or apical suspension. Sling procedures were more common in the office group (45.8% vs 77.6%). For our primary outcome, the rate of early postoperative retention was 11.9% in the home group and 22.4% in the office group ( P =.13). Our predetermined noninferiority margin was greater than the upper bound of our 95% CI; thus, we conclude noninferiority of home removal. For secondary outcomes, the home removal group was more likely to report "no pain" ( P =.02) and "very likely" to use this method again ( P =.004). There were no differences in difficulty or satisfaction between groups. Number of nursing calls was not different ( P =.66); however, number of office visits was higher in the office group (median 0 [interquartile range 0-1] vs 1 [1-1], P <.001).

CONCLUSION

Postoperative urinary catheter removal by the patient at home was noninferior to office removal when early urinary retention rates were compared. Participants in the home removal group had fewer office visits and reported low pain, low difficulty, and high satisfaction.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT04783012.

Do patients experience decisional regret after sacral neuromodulation for refractory overactive bladder?

OBJECTIVE

Success following urological procedures is traditionally defined through objective endpoints. This approach may not capture the impact on patient satisfaction. There is a paucity of literature evaluating patient-centered metrics such as satisfaction and decisional regret in the field of urology. This study investigates long-term satisfaction and decisional regret amongst patients who underwent sacral neuromodulation (SNM) for the treatment of refractory overactive bladder (OAB).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent SNM for refractory OAB from 2015 to 2022 at a single institution serving an ethnically diverse and underrepresented community. Demographic data were collected through chart review and surveys conducted via telephone calls. Patient satisfaction and decisional regret was measured with the validated modified SDS-DRS scale (satisfaction with decision scale-decision regret scale). Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxan rank sum, and median regression analyses were performed using STATA 15.0 with p < 0.05 as significant.

RESULTS

Out of 191 patients who underwent SNM, 63 were unreachable (wrong number in chart, number not in service, patient did not answer, deceased). Eighty-nine out of 128 patients reached agreed to participate (70% response rate). The mean time since surgery was 37.3 ±25.2 months. The median satisfaction with decision score was 4.0 (IQR: 3.7-4.7) with a score of 1 correlating with low satisfaction and a score of 5 correlating with high satisfaction. The median decisional regret score was 2.0 (IQR: 1.2-2.9) with a score of 1 correlating with low decisional regret and a score of 5 correlating with strong decisional regret. Ten patients reported complications after surgery, which was significantly associated with lower SDS and higher DRS scores (p < 0.01), and persisted after adjusting for age, body mass index, sex, and comorbidities (SDS β coef: -0.84, 95% CI: -1.5 to 0.15, p = 0.02; DRS β coef: 1.48, 95% CI: 0.55-2.41, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who underwent SNM for refractory OAB overall had low regret and high satisfaction with their decision at an average 3 years of follow-up. As expected, those who developed postoperative complications had worse scores. The inclusion of patient-centric outcomes is imperative when determining the success of a surgical procedure and is useful for shared decision-making when advancing to third-line therapy for OAB. Longer-term follow-up is necessary to assess durability of high satisfaction and low regret over time.

Patient experiences following prolapse surgery implementing a same-day discharge model: a prospective study

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Previous research has not evaluated patient experiences following vaginal reconstructive surgery using a same-day discharge model. The objective of this study was to describe patient experiences following major vaginal reconstructive surgery and same-day discharge.

METHODS

In this descriptive study, patients undergoing vaginal hysterectomy with pelvic reconstruction were preoperatively enrolled. Questionnaires detailing experience with same-day discharge, surgical recovery, and advice for prospective patients were completed. Our primary outcome was question 7 of the Surgical Satisfaction Questionnaire: Looking back, if you "had to do it all over again" would you have the surgery again? Descriptive statistics were performed, and correlations were performed with Spearman's rank test.

RESULTS

Sixty patients were enrolled; 54 underwent surgery. Eighty-seven percent of patients completed the 12-week questionnaire. At 12 weeks, 96% of patients (n = 45) would have the surgery again, and 91% (n = 42) were satisfied with the results of surgery. Twelve weeks postoperatively, the most common patient-reported complications were urinary tract infection (n = 8, 17%), catheter concerns (n = 5, 11%), and constipation (n = 5, 11%). When asked to list the best parts of their surgical experience, half of patients felt that this was the office staff or physician themselves (n = 24, 51%). When asked what advice they would provide to future patients, the most common responses included having a support person at home and taking time for recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

In this sample of women receiving same-day discharge following vaginal hysterectomy with pelvic reconstruction, we present a unique insight into the most common patient concerns postoperatively. Rates of satisfaction and comfort were high.

Patient-reported goal achievements after pelvic floor muscle training versus pessary in women with pelvic organ prolapse. A randomised controlled trial

The aim was to assess the achievement by self-determined goals in pelvic organ prolapse (POP) participants receiving pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) compared to vaginal pessary. Forty participants with POP stage II to III were randomly allocated to pessary or PFMT. Participants were asked to list up 3 goals they expected from treatment. Thai version of Prolapse Quality of Life Questionnaire (P-QOL) and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire, IUGA-revised (PISQ-IR) were completed at 0 and 6-week period. At 6-week post-treatment, they were asked if their goals had been achieved. The totally achieved goals in the vaginal pessary group were 70% (14/20) significantly higher than PFMT group at 30% (6/20) (p = 0.01). The mean ± SD of the post-treatment P-QOL score in the vaginal pessary group was significantly lower than the PFMT group (13.90 ± 10.83 vs 22.04 ± 5.93, p = 0.01), but not different in all PISQ-IR subscales. Pessary treatment for POP yielded better total goal achievements and better quality of life than PFMT for POP treatment at a 6-week follow-up.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) can severely affect the quality of life, causing physical, social, psychological, occupational, and/or sexual dysfunction. Individual patient goal setting and goal achievement scaling (GAS) offers a new method of patient-reported outcome measurement (PRO) in therapeutic success such as pessary or surgery in patient with POP. But there is no randomised controlled trial comparing pessary vs pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) using GAS as the outcome measurement.What do the results of this study add? The results showed that women with POP stage II to III who received vaginal pessary had higher totally goal achievements and better quality of life than the women received the PFMT at 6-week follow up.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The information about the better goal achievements by using pessary can be used as the tools for counselling for patients with POP for selecting the choices for the treatment in the clinical setting.

Expanding the Role of the Surgical Preoperative Evaluation Clinic: Impact on Risk and Quality Outcome Measures

Objective

To prove that inpatient-adjusted surgical risk and quality outcome measures can be considerably impacted by interventions to improve documentation in the preoperative evaluation (POE) clinic.

Patients and Methods

We designed a quality improvement project with a multidisciplinary team in our POE clinic to more accurately reflect surgical risk and impact expected surgical quality outcomes through improved documentation. Interventions included an improved patient record acquisition process and extensive POE provider education regarding patient comorbidities' documentation. For patients admitted after their planned operations, POE clinic comprehensive evaluation notes were linked to inpatient History and Physical notes. High complexity patients seen from October 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 were the preintervention cohort, and the patients seen from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 were the postintervention cohort.

Results

The primary outcome measures included the total number of coded diagnoses per encounter and the number of coded hierarchical condition categories per encounter. The secondary outcomes included the calculated severity of illness, risk of mortality, case-mix index, and risk-adjustment factor. Postintervention results show statistically significant increases in all primary outcomes with a P<.05. All secondary outcome measures reported positive change.

Conclusion

Our interventions confirm that a comprehensive POE and thorough documentation provide a more accurate clinical depiction of the preoperative patient, which in turn impacts quality outcomes in inpatient surgical settings. These results are impactful for direct and indirect patient care and publicly reported hospital and provider level performance data.

Assessment of patient satisfaction with home vs office indwelling catheter removal placed for urinary retention after female pelvic floor surgery: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Postoperative urinary retention is burdensome for patients. We seek to improve patient satisfaction with the voiding trial process.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with location of indwelling catheter removal placed for urinary retention after urogynecologic surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

All adult women who were diagnosed with urinary retention requiring postoperative indwelling catheter insertion after undergoing surgery for urinary incontinence and/or pelvic organ prolapse were eligible for this randomized controlled study. They were randomly assigned to catheter removal at home or in the office. Those who were randomized to home removal were taught how to remove the catheter before discharge, and were discharged home with written instructions, a voiding hat, and 10-mL syringe. All patients had their catheter removed 2 to 4 days after discharge. Those patients who were allocated to home removal were contacted in the afternoon by the office nurse. Subjects who graded their force of urine stream 5, on a scale of 0 to 10, were considered to have safely passed their voiding trial. For patients randomized to the office removal group, the voiding trial consisted of retrograde filling the bladder to maximum they could tolerate up to 300 mL. Urinating >50% of instilled volume was considered successful. Those who were unsuccessful in either group had catheter reinsertion or self-catheterization training in the office. The primary study outcome was patient satisfaction, measured based on patients' response to a question, "How satisfied were you with the overall removal process of the catheter?" A visual analogue scale was created to assess patient satisfaction and 4 secondary outcomes. A sample size of 40 participants per group were needed to detect a 10 mm difference in satisfaction between groups on the visual analogue scale. This calculation provided 80% power and an alpha of 0.05. The final number accounted for 10% loss to follow up. We compared the baseline characteristics, including urodynamic parameters, relevant perioperative indices, and patient satisfaction between the groups.

RESULTS

Of the 78 women enrolled in the study, 38 (48.7%) removed their catheter at home and 40 (51.3%) had an office visit for catheter removal. Median and interquartile range for age, vaginal parity, and body mass index were 60 (49-72) years, 2 (2-3), and 28 (24-32) kg/m2, respectively, in the overall sample. Groups did not differ significantly in age, vaginal parity, body mass index, previous surgical history, or type of concomitant procedures. Patient satisfaction was comparable between the groups, with a median score (interquartile range) of 95 (87-100) in the home catheter removal group and 95 (80-98) in the office catheter removal group (P=.52). Voiding trial pass rate was similar between women who underwent home (83.8%) vs office (72.5%) catheter removal (P=.23). No participants in either group had to emergently come into the office or hospital due to inadequate voiding afterwards. Within 30 days post operatively, a lower proportion of women in the home catheter removal group (8.3%) had urinary tract infection, compared to patients in the office catheter removal group (26.3%) (P=.04).

CONCLUSION

In women with urinary retention after urogynecologic surgery, there is no difference in satisfaction concerning the location of indwelling catheter removal when comparing home and office.

Methods of postoperative void trial management after urogynecologic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Voiding trials are used to identify women at risk for postoperative urinary retention while performing optimal voiding trial management with minimal burden to the patient and medical service team. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of postoperative void trials following urogynecologic surgery to investigate (1) the optimal postoperative void trial methodology and (2) the optimal criteria for assessing void trial.

METHOD

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and relevant reference lists of eligible articles from inception to April 2022. We identified any randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in English that studied void trials in patients undergoing urogynecologic surgery. Study selection (title/abstract and full text), data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were conducted by two independent reviewers. Extracted study outcomes included the following: the correct passing rate, time to discharge, discharge rate without a catheter after the initial void trial, postoperative urinary tract infection, and patient satisfaction.

RESULTS

Void trial methodology included backfill-assisted and autofill studies (2 RCTs, n = 95). Backfill assistance was more likely to be successful than autofill (RR 2.12, 95% CI 1.29, 3.47, P = 0.00); however, no significant difference was found in the time to discharge (WMDs =  - 29.11 min, 95% CI - 57.45, 1.23, P = 0.06). The criteria for passing void trial included subjective assessment of the urinary force of stream and objective assessment of the standard voiding trial (3 RCTs, n = 377). No significant differences were found in the correct passing rate (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.93, 1.01, P = 0.14) or void trial failure rate (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.52, 1.18, P = 0.24). Moreover, no significant differences were found in the complication rates or patient satisfaction between the two criteria.

CONCLUSION

Bladder backfilling was associated with a lower rate of catheter discharge after urogynecologic surgery. The subjective assessment of FOS is a reliable and safe method for assessing postoperative voiding because it is less invasive.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42022313397.

Postoperative Urinary Retention

ABSTRACT

This clinical consensus statement on the management of postoperative (<6 weeks) urinary retention (POUR) reflects statements drafted by content experts from the American Urogynecologic Society's POUR writing group. The writing group used a modified Delphi process to evaluate statements developed from a structured literature search and assessed for consensus. After the definition of POUR was established, a total of 37 statements were assessed in the following 6 categories: (1) incidence of POUR, (2) medications, (3) patient factors, (4) surgical factors, (5) urodynamic testing, and (6) voiding trials. Of the 37 original statements, 34 reached consensus and 3 were omitted.

Assessing Health Care Utilization and Feasibility of Transurethral Catheter Self-Discontinuation

OBJECTIVE

To compare the rates of health care utilization (office messages or calls, office visits, and emergency department [ED] visits) and postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery between patients with successful voiding trials on postoperative day 0 and those with unsuccessful voiding trials on postoperative day 0 and between patients with successful and unsuccessful voiding trials on postoperative day 1. Secondary objectives were to identify risk factors for unsuccessful voiding trials on postoperative days 0 and 1 and to explore the feasibility of catheter self-discontinuation by assessing for any complications associated with at-home catheter self-discontinuation on postoperative day 1.

METHODS

This study was a prospective observational cohort study of women undergoing outpatient urogynecologic or minimally invasive gynecologic surgery for benign indications at one academic practice from August 2021 to January 2022. Enrolled patients with unsuccessful immediate postoperative voiding trials on postoperative day 0 performed catheter self-discontinuation by cutting their catheter tubing per instructions at 6 am on postoperative day 1 and recording their voided volumes over the subsequent 6 hours. Patients who voided less than 150 mL underwent a repeat voiding trial in the office. Demographics, medical history, perioperative outcomes, and number of postoperative office calls or visits and ED visits within 30 days were collected.

RESULTS

Of the 140 patients who met inclusion criteria, 50 patients (35.7%) had unsuccessful voiding trials on postoperative day 0, and 48 of these 50 (96%) performed catheter self-discontinuation on postoperative day 1. Two patients did not perform catheter self-discontinuation on postoperative day 1: One had her catheter removed in the ED on postoperative day 0 during an ED visit for pain control, and the other performed catheter self-discontinuation off protocol at home on postoperative day 0. There were no adverse events associated with at-home postoperative day 1 catheter self-discontinuation. Of the 48 patients who performed catheter self-discontinuation on postoperative day 1, 81.3% (95% CI 68.1-89.8%) had successful postoperative day 1 at-home voiding trials, and 94.5% (95% CI 83.1-98.6%) of those with successful voiding trials did not require additional catheterization. Patients with unsuccessful postoperative day 0 voiding trials had more office calls and messages (3 vs 2, P <.001) and those with unsuccessful postoperative day 1 voiding trials attended more office visits (2 vs 1, P <.001) compared with those with successful postoperative day 0 or 1 voiding trials, respectively. There was no difference in ED visits or postoperative complications between patients with successful voiding trials on postoperative day 0 or 1 and those with unsuccessful voiding trials on postoperative day 0 or 1. Patients with unsuccessful postoperative day 0 voiding trials were older and more likely to have undergone vaginal hysterectomy or prolapse repair than those with successful postoperative day 0 voiding trials. Patients with unsuccessful postoperative day 1 voiding trials were older than those with successful postoperative day 1 voiding trials.

CONCLUSION

Catheter self-discontinuation is a feasible alternative to in-office voiding trials on postoperative day 1 after advanced benign gynecologic and urogynecologic surgery, with low rates of subsequent retention and no adverse events seen in our pilot study.

Goal Setting and Health-Related Outcomes in Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Literature From 2000 to 2020

Identifying and synthesizing recent empirical research on goal setting among adults with chronic disease is the focus of this article. The article has two phases: Phase 1, a thematic analysis with machine reading of the data and manual thematic analysis, and Phase 2, a quantitative meta-analysis. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies are included in Phase 1 (99 papers). Phase 2 includes only quantitative studies (75 papers). Five main themes are identified: (a) the effect of goal characteristics on health-related outcomes, (b) the effect of goal setting on health-related outcomes, (c) the effect of goal achievement on health-related outcomes, (d) goal alignment between patients and health care service providers, and (e) individual and collaborative goal setting of patients and health care service providers. The meta-analysis reveals considerable evidence of an association between goal setting and health-related outcomes.

Voided Volume for Assessment of Bladder Emptying After Female Pelvic Floor Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

IMPORTANCE

To study alternative voiding trial (VT) methods after urogynecologic surgery that may potentially decrease catheterization.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to compare voiding assessment based on a minimum spontaneous voided volume of 150 mL with the standard retrograde fill (RF) approach in women after urogynecologic procedures.

STUDY DESIGN

Women undergoing urogynecologic surgery were randomized to RF or spontaneous void (SV) groups. Women in the RF group had their bladders backfilled with 300 mL of saline before catheter removal, those in the SV group did not. To pass the VT, patients in the RF group were required to void 150 mL at one time within 60 minutes, and patients in the SV group had to do the same within 6 hours. The primary outcome was the VT failure rate. We also compared the false pass rate, urinary tract infections, satisfaction, and preference of VT method.

RESULTS

One hundred nine women were enrolled in the study, 54 had SV and 55 underwent RF. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different other than history of prior hysterectomy. There was no significant difference in procedures between the groups. There was no difference in VT failure rate between the groups-SV (7.4%) and RF (12.7%, P = 0.39). The false pass rate was 0 in each group. Urinary tract infection rates were similar between SV (14.8%) and RF (14.5%) groups ( P = 0.34). Patient satisfaction for VT method was not significantly different.

CONCLUSIONS

Spontaneous VT was not superior to retrograde void trial. Therefore, we cannot recommend one method of VT after urogynecologic surgery.CondensationVoiding assessment based on minimum SV of 150 mL is comparable with VT with RF after surgeries for prolapse and urinary incontinence.

International Urogynecology Consultation: Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROs) use in the evaluation of patients with pelvic organ prolapse

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Patient-reported outcome measure instruments include patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and patient-reported goals (PRGs), which allow practitioners to measure symptoms and determine outcomes of treatment that matter to patients.

METHODS

This is a structured review completed by the International Urogynecology Consultation (IUC), sponsored by the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA). The aim of this working group was to evaluate and synthesize the existing evidence for PROs and PRGs in the initial clinical work-up/evaluation and research arena for patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

RESULTS

The initial search generated 3589 non-duplicated studies. After abstract review by 4 authors, 211 full texts were assessed for eligibility by 2 writing group members, and 199 studies were reviewed in detail. Any disagreements on abstract or full-text articles were resolved by a third reviewer or during video meetings as a group. The list of POP PROs and information on PRGs was developed from these articles. Tables were generated to describe the validation of each PRO and to provide currently available, validated translations.

CONCLUSIONS

All patients presenting for POP should be evaluated for vaginal, bladder, bowel and sexual symptoms including their goals for symptom treatment. This screening can be facilitated by a validated PRO; however, most PROs provide more information than needed to provide clinical care and were designed for research purposes.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the preoperative assessment of readiness tool among surgical patients

Background

The evaluation of the surgical readiness of patients plays an important role in clinical care. Preoperative readiness assessment is needed to identify the inadequacy among surgical patients, which provides guide for interventions to improve patients’ preoperative readiness. However, there is a paucity of high-level, quality tool that evaluate surgical readiness of patients in China. The purpose of this study is to translate the Preoperative Assessment of Readiness Tool (PART) into Chinese and determine the reliability and validity of the Chinese version in the population of surgical patients.

Methods

Using a standard translation-backward method, the original English version of PART was translated into Chinese. A convenient sampling of 210 surgical patients was recruited from 6 hospitals in Zhejiang Province to test the psychometric properties of this scale including internal consistency, split-half reliability, content validity, structure validity, and floor/ceiling effect.

Results

A total of 194 patients (92%) completed questionnaires. The Chinese version of PART achieved Cronbach’s alphas 0.948 and McDonald’s omega coefficient 0.947, respectively, for the full scale. The estimated odd-even split-half reliability was 0.959. The scale-level content validity index was 0.867, and the items content validity index ranged from 0.83 to 1.0.The output of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed a two-factor model (χ2 = 510.96; df = 86; p &lt; 0.001; root mean square error approximation = 0.08) with no floor/ceiling effect.

Conclusion

The Chinese version of PART demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity among surgical patients. It can be used to evaluate patients’ preoperative preparation and help health professionals provide proper preoperative support.

How Women Perceive Severity of Complications after Pelvic Floor Repair?

Background: The Clavien-Dindo classification, used to describe postoperative complications, does not take into account patient perception of severity. Our main objective was to assess women’s perception of postoperative pelvic floor repair complications and compare it to the classification of Clavien-Dindo. Methods: Women and surgeons participating in the VIGI-MESH registry concerning pelvic floor repair surgery were invited to quote their perception of complication severity through a survey based on 30 clinical vignettes. For each vignette, four grades of severity were proposed: “not serious”, “a little serious”, “serious”, “very serious”. Results: Among the 1146 registered women, we received 529 responses (46.2%) and 70 of the 141 surgeons (49.6%) returned a completed questionnaire. A total of 25 of the 30 vignettes were considered classifiable according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. The women’s classification was concordant with Clavien-Dindo for 52.0% (13/25) of the classifiable vignettes. The women’s and surgeons’ responses were discordant for 20 of the 30 clinical vignettes (66.7%). Loss of autonomy (self-catheterization, long-term medication use) or occurrence of sequelae (organ damage or severe persistent pain) were perceived by women as more serious than Clavien-Dindo classification or than surgeons’ perceptions. Conclusions: Women’s perception of pelvic floor repair surgery seems different from the Clavien-Dindo classification. Lack of repair and long-term disability seem to be two major factors in favor of perception of the surgical complication as serious.

International Urogynaecology Consultation chapter 1 committee 4: patients' perception of disease burden of pelvic organ prolapse

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

This manuscript from Chapter 1 of the International Urogynecology Consultation (IUC) on Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) reports on the patients' perception of disease burden associated with pelvic organ prolapse.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An international group containing a team of eight urogynaecologists, a physiotherapist and a statistician performed a search of the literature using pre-specified search terms in PubMed and Embase (January 2000 to August 2020). The division of sections within this report includes: (1) perception of POP and the relationship with body image and poor health; (2) a vaginal bulge as it impacts health and wellbeing in women; (3) the impact of POP on sexual life; (4) body image and pelvic floor disorders; (5) POP and mood; (6) appropriate use of treatment goals to better meet patients' expected benefits; (7) using health-related quality of life questionnaires to quantify patients' perception of POP; (8) The financial burden of POP to patients and society. Abstracts were reviewed and publications were eliminated if not relevant or did not include populations with POP or were not relevant to the subject areas as noted by the authors. The manuscripts were next reviewed for suitability using the Specialist Unit for Review Evidence (SURE) checklists for cohort, cross-sectional and case-control epidemiologic studies.

RESULTS

The original individual literature searches yielded 2312 references of which 190 were used in the final manuscript. The following perceptions were identified: (1) women were found to have varying perceptions of POP including shame and embarrassment. Some regard POP as consequence of aging and consider there is no effective therapy. (2) POP is perceived as a vaginal bulge and affects lifestyle and emotional wellbeing. The main driver for treatment is absence of bulge sensation. (3) POP is known to affect frequency of sexual intercourse but has less impact on satisfaction. (4) Prolapse-specific body image and genital self-image are important components of a women's emotional, physical and sexual wellbeing. (5) POP is commonly associated with depression and anxiety symptoms which impact HRQoL although are not correlated with objective anatomical findings. (6) Patient-centered treatment goals are useful in facilitating communication, shared decision-making and expectations before and after reconstructive surgery. (7) Disease-specific HRQoL questionnaires are important tools to assess bother and outcome following surgery, and there are now several tools with Level 1 evidence and a Grade A recommendation. (8) The cost of POP to the individual and to society is considerable in terms of productivity. In general, conservative measures tend to be more cost-effective than surgical intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' perception of POP varies in different patients and has a far-reaching impact on their overall state of health and wellbeing. However, recognizing that it is a combination of body image and overall health (which affects mental health) allows clinicians to better tailor expectations for treatment to individual patients. There are HRQoL tools that can be used to quantify these impacts in clinical care and research. The costs to the individual patient (which affects their perception of POP) is an area that is poorly understood and needs more research.

Short-term catheter management options for urinary retention following pelvic surgery: a cost analysis

BACKGROUND

Several studies have compared short-term catheterization approaches and have demonstrated no difference in patient satisfaction, but no study has evaluated their costs.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the costs of 3 pathways for short-term catheter management in patients diagnosed with urinary retention following pelvic surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

We utilized a Markov decision tree to model costs from the society's perspective. In pathway 1, patients have an indwelling catheter and return to the office for a voiding trial. In pathway 2, patients have an indwelling catheter and discontinue the catheters at home. In pathway 3, patients are taught clean intermittent catheterization postoperatively. We accounted for office visits, emergency department visits, urinary tract infection testing and treatment, transportation, caregiver time, teaching time, and supplies.

RESULTS

Clean intermittent catheterization is the least costly catheterization method at $79 per patient, followed by self-removal of the catheter ($128) and office voiding trial ($185). One-way sensitivity analyses showed that the distance between the patient and office and the rates of spontaneous voiding following catheterization had the greatest impact. When patients need to travel >5 miles to the office for catheter removal, self-removal of a catheter is less costly than an office voiding trial. Once it has been determined that patients have urinary retention and require catheterization, clean intermittent catheterization is the most cost-saving option only if the patients are taught clean intermittent catheterization postoperatively. If all patients were to be taught clean intermittent catheterization routinely before surgery, it becomes the most costly option. Based on annual surgical volume, if even $30 were saved per patient with postoperative urinary retention, the estimated total societal savings would be $420,000 to $7.2 million.

CONCLUSION

Clean intermittent catheterization as initial management of urinary retention following pelvic surgery is the most cost-saving option when it is only taught postoperatively to patients after determining the need for catheterization. When this is not possible, self-removal of an indwelling catheter is the most cost-saving option, especially as the distance between the patient and provider increases. Choosing the optimal management guided by patient and provider factors can lead to substantial cost savings annually in the United States.

Patient goals after operation in the posterior vaginal compartment

OBJECTIVE

Success after operation for a pelvic organ prolapse in the posterior vaginal compartment is often related to restoration of anatomy, but success for the patient is linked to achievement of patient-reported goals. We investigated patient-reported goals after an operation in the posterior compartment and to which extent the goals had been achieved.

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective case series study including 87 women undergoing operation in the posterior compartment at Aalborg University Hospital. The women were asked to list up to three goals they wished to fulfil with the operation. Three months after surgery a telephone interview was conducted in which the women were asked whether each single goal was fulfilled, partly fulfilled or not fulfilled and to estimate the extent to which the goals had been achieved on a VAS scale from 1 to 10.

RESULTS

All patient-reported goals were divided into eight groups: 1: bulging, 2: bowel problems, 3: urinary problems, 4: sexual problems, 5: psychological problems, 6: physical activity, 7: pain and 8: others. A total of 233 goals were stated. Most goals were related to bowel problems (37.3%) and bulging (21.0%). Median total VAS score was 9. Overall 58.8% of all goals were categorized as fulfilled and 22.3% as partly fulfilled. Fulfilled goals were 83.7% in the group with bulging problems, sexuality problems 65%, and bowel problems 57.5%. Urinary problems had fewest fulfilled goals (18.5%). Bowel problems were further divided into evacuation problems, incontinence, constipation and others. Goals concerning evacuation problems were most often fulfilled (76.1%), and goals concerning anal incontinence were rarely fulfilled (25.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately 80% of the patient-reported goals after posterior compartment operation were fulfilled or partly fulfilled. Most goals were related to bowel problems and bulging. Bowel problems in the form of evacuation problems were more often solved than incontinence and constipation, and women should be advised about this. All goals should be discussed with the patient prior to an operation.

Evaluation of the long-term effect and complication rate of single-incision slings for female stress urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the long-term outcomes of single-incision midurethral slings (SIMS) in real-life practice.

STUDY DESIGN

This retrospective, single-arm, patient cohort study was performed in a large Dutch teaching hospital, including 397 consecutive women who underwent a SIMS-procedure between 2009 and 2018. Data were obtained through questionnaires and patient record study. Subjective improvement was the primary outcome, defined as a Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) of '(very) much better'. Secondary outcomes were subjective cure rate (defined as a negative Urogenital Distress Inventory - item 4 'Do you experience involuntary urine leakage related to physical activity, coughing or sneezing?'), complication rate and sling failure (defined as the need for additional research or treatment for persisting stress urinary incontinence (SUI)). All data was analysed with a statistical significance level of 5%.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up time was 54 months. All patients received SIMS (Ajust® or Altis®). Of all respondents, 75% reported a (very) much improved burden of disease. The subjective cure rate was 61%. In 93 patients a total of 120 complications were registered. In 10% of patients a sling failure was observed, 76% of these failures appeared in the first two years post-surgery.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that, in real life practice, SIMS are both effective and safe over a long period of time.

Improving Patient Recall of Planned Intervention After Surgical Counseling: The IRIS Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to determine whether an easy-to-read patient education card given at the preoperative visit can increase patient recall of the planned surgery.

METHODS

This was a randomized controlled trial. Patients scheduled to undergo pelvic reconstructive surgery were recruited during their preoperative visits. All participants received standard surgical counseling, whereas the intervention group also received a 4 × 6 inch card highlighting the anticipated procedure. The primary outcome was correct recall of the planned surgery as measured by a preoperative questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were correct recall of the surgery postoperatively and patient satisfaction with the information provided.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-eight patients were enrolled with 64 participants in each arm. One hundred twenty-seven participants were analyzed because 1 patient was lost to follow-up. No difference was found between patient demographics, including types of surgical procedures performed. There was a statistically significant improvement in preoperative recall: 30 of 63 participants (47.6%) in the intervention group answered all questions correctly versus 18 of 64 patients (28.6%) patients in the standard counseling group (P = 0.021). There was no difference in the postoperative scores between the 2 groups: 48.3% (28 of 58) and 52.5% (32 of 61) of the participants answered all questions correctly in the intervention and standard counseling only groups, respectively (P = 0.648). There was no difference in satisfaction scores, with a median score of 20 out of 20 for either group (interquartile range = 19-20).

CONCLUSIONS

A concise and easy-to-use education card enhanced patient preoperative recall of the proposed surgery. This difference was not sustained postoperatively. High satisfaction with the information provided was reported regardless of counseling method.

Tamsulosin vs placebo to prevent postoperative urinary retention following female pelvic reconstructive surgery: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Postoperative urinary retention is common after female pelvic reconstructive surgery. Alpha receptor antagonists can improve dysfunctional voiding by relaxing the bladder outlet and may be effective in reducing the risk of postoperative urinary retention.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine whether tamsulosin is effective in preventing postoperative urinary retention in women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial between August 2018 and June 2020, including women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse. Patients were excluded from recruitment if they had elevated preoperative postvoid residual volume, history of postoperative urinary retention, or a contraindication to tamsulosin. Those who experienced cystotomy were excluded from analysis. Participants were randomized to a 10-day perioperative course of tamsulosin 0.4 mg vs placebo, beginning 3 days before surgery. A standardized voiding trial was performed on postoperative day 1. The primary outcome was the development of postoperative urinary retention, as defined by the failure of the voiding trial or subsequent need for catheterization to empty the bladder. Secondary outcomes included the rate of urinary tract infection and the impact on lower urinary tract symptoms as measured by the American Urological Association Symptom Index.

RESULTS

Of 119 patients, 57 received tamsulosin and 62 received placebo. Groups were similar in regard to demographics, preoperative prolapse and voiding characteristics, and surgical details. Tamsulosin was associated with a lower rate of postoperative urinary retention than placebo (5 patients [8.8%] vs 16 patients [25.8%]; odds ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.09-81; P=.02). The number needed to treat to prevent 1 case of postoperative urinary retention was 5.9 patients. The rate of urinary tract infection did not differ between groups. American Urological Association Symptom Index scores significantly improved after surgery in both groups (median total score, 14 vs 7; P<.01). Scores related to urinary stream improved more in the tamsulosin group than in placebo (P=.03).

CONCLUSION

In this placebo-controlled trial, tamsulosin use was associated with a reduced risk of postoperative urinary retention in women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

The Association of Preoperative Medication Administration and Preoperative and Intraoperative Factors With Postoperative Urinary Retention After Urogynecologic Surgery

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine if preoperative medication administration is associated with postoperative urinary retention (PUR) after urogynecologic procedures and identify preoperative and intraoperative factors that are predictive of PUR.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients who underwent prolapse and/or incontinence surgery was performed. The primary outcome was PUR, defined as postoperative retrograde void trial with postvoid residuals of greater than 100 mL. Bivariate analysis was performed to compare demographics and preoperative and intraoperative characteristics of women with and without PUR, and multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to identify independent predictors of PUR.

RESULTS

Of women in this cohort, 44.8% (364/813) had PUR. There were no significant differences in preoperative medication administration in women with and without PUR. Age older than 60 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-2.02), combined prolapse and incontinence surgery (aOR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.29-2.62), vaginal hysterectomy (aOR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.66-2.38), and procedure time (aOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01) were associated with increased odds of PUR, whereas laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy was associated with lower odds (aOR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.10-0.46).

DISCUSSION

Although preoperative medication administration was not associated with PUR, other clinically important variables were age older than 60 years, vaginal hysterectomy, incontinence and prolapse surgery, or longer procedure time. Sacrocolpopexy reduced the odds of PUR by approximately 80%. These factors may be useful in preoperative and postoperative counseling regarding PUR after urogynecologic surgery.

Evaluating Postoperative Morbidity in Patients Undergoing Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Surgical Risk Calculator

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) surgical risk calculator to predict surgical morbidity in patients undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgery.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent pelvic reconstructive surgery from 2014 to 2017. Preoperative risk factors were abstracted from medical records and entered into the ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator. The Current Procedural Terminology code that produced the largest risk was used and compared with actual patient outcomes. Demographic, clinical, and surgical characteristics were analyzed descriptively. Logistic regression evaluated significant factors associated with each outcome; prediction capability of the risk calculator was assessed.

RESULTS

Seven hundred thirty-one surgical cases were reviewed. The cohort was predominantly younger than 65 years (58.7%), white (77.4%), multiparous (81.1%), and overweight (64.7%); 76.3% were American Society of Anesthesiologists class 2, and 70.2% had vaginal surgery. There was no difference in median risk scores between those with and without postoperative event. Two hundred twenty-one (30.3%) experienced "any serious complication," with 89% of these due to urinary tract infection. Incidence of urinary tract infection was 27%; readmission was 3.2%, and 3.6% returned to the operating room. Decreasing age was predictive of return to the operating room (P < 0.001), and increasingly worse functional status predicted discharge to nursing or skilled rehabilitation facility (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator is an overall poor predictor of actual outcomes in a sample of patients who underwent pelvic reconstructive surgery, perhaps because of low prevalence of serious events. A more accurate surgical risk calculator is needed for this patient population.

Women's Experience of Their First Sexual Encounter After Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery

OBJECTIVE

To describe the timing, quality and patient concerns regarding the first sexual encounter after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or urinary incontinence (UI).

METHODS

Women scheduled to undergo POP or UI surgery who self-identified as sexually active were recruited to this qualitative study. Routine counseling regarding the return to sexual activity was provided 4-6 weeks postoperatively. Participants completed interviews 2-4 months after their surgery. Interviews were tape recorded, de-identified, and transcribed. Transcriptions were coded for major themes by two independent researchers; disagreements were arbitrated by the research team. Analysis was performed using Dedoose software.

RESULTS

Twenty patients with an average age of 52.4 years participated. Most identified themselves as White (85%), one quarter had a history of hysterectomy, and 15% had previously undergone pelvic reconstructive surgery. Nineteen (95%) patients resumed intercourse 2-4 months after surgery. Thematic saturation was reached with major themes of Outside Influences, Conflicting Emotions, Uncertainty, Sexual Changes and Stability, Normalization, and Self-Image. First sexual encounter timing was strongly influenced by partners' desires and fears and physician counseling. Fear of damage to repairs affected patients' comfort with return to sexual activity. Although uncertain of how anatomical changes or presence of mesh would affect function, women hoped that changes would be positive, regardless of preoperative sexual function. Some women found their experience unchanged, whereas others reported need for change in sexual position, use of lubrication, and sensation of foreign body. Positive changes included increase in desire, pleasure, and improvement in orgasm. Self-image generally improved after surgery, which increased women's sexual confidence.

CONCLUSION

The return to sexual activity after surgery for POP or UI represents a great unknown for many women. Reports of initial sexual activity after surgery are often positive, and physicians strongly influence initial postoperative sexual encounter timing. Frank counseling about patient and partners' fears regarding the effect of repair on sexual activity would likely improve patients' outcomes.

Hierarchy of customer goals: conceptual framework and new insights

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to: (1) better understand the structure (hierarchy) of customer goals providing conceptual clarity; and (2) propose a hierarchy of customer goals conceptual framework that explicates how healthcare customer goals are linked to drivers and outcomes, thus building theory and informing practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The research draws on 21 in-depth interviews of patients with a chronic disease. Drawing principally on construal-level theory and using manual thematic analysis and Leximancer, this article provides new insights into customer goals.

Findings

In a first, the authors identify a two-dimensional structure for each of the three main goal types, which previously had been viewed as unidimensional. The authors develop a conceptual framework linking drivers of goal setting (promotion/prevention focus world view and perceived role) with goal type (life goals, focal goals and action plan goals and their respective subgoals) and outcomes (four forms of subjective well-being). Visual concept maps illustrate the relative importance of certain health-related goals over others.

Research limitations/implications

The usefulness of the authors’ conceptual framework is demonstrated through the application of their framework to goal setting among healthcare customers, showing links between the structure of goals (life goals, focal goals and action plan goals) to drivers (promotion/prevention focus world view and perceived role) and outcomes (subjective well-being) and the framework's potential application to other service settings.

Originality/value

This study contributes to healthcare marketing and service management literature by providing new insights into goal setting and proposing a novel hierarchy of customer goals conceptual framework linking drivers, goal types and outcomes.

Postoperative urinary retention after pelvic organ prolapse surgery: influence of peri-operative factors and trial of void protocol

PURPOSE

Transient postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is common after pelvic floor surgery. We aimed to determine the association between peri-operative variables and POUR and to determine the number of voids required for post-void residuals (PVRs) to normalize postoperatively.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 992 patients undergoing pelvic floor surgery at a tertiary referral centre from January 2015 to October 2017. Variables assessed included: age, BMI, ASA score, anaesthesia type, type of surgery, length of postoperative stay, surgeon, bladder protocol used, and number of PVRs required to "pass" the protocol.

RESULTS

Significant risk factors for POUR included: placement of MUS during POP surgery, anterior repair and hysterectomy with concomitant sacrospinous vault suspension. A total of 25.1% were discharged requiring catheterization. Patients receiving a concomitant mid-urethral sling (MUS) were 2.2 (95% CI1.6-2.9) and 2.3 (95% CI 1.8-3.1) times more likely to have elevated PVR after their second TOV and third TOV (p < 0.0001), respectively, compared with those without concomitant MUS. Permitting a third TOV allowed an additional 10% of women to pass the voiding protocol before discharge. The median number of voids to pass protocol was 2. An ASA > 2 and placement of MUS were associated with increasing number of voids needed to pass protocol.

CONCLUSIONS

While many women passed protocol by the second void, using the 3rd void as a cut point to determine success would result in fewer women requiring catheterization after discharge. Prior to pelvic floor surgery, women should be counselled regarding POUR probability to allow for management of postoperative expectations.

Perineorrhaphy Outcomes Related to Body Imagery: A Randomized Trial of Body Image Perception

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine if a perineorrhaphy at the time of apical pelvic organ prolapse surgery positively affects women's body image.

METHODS

This is a randomized controlled trial of women undergoing apical suspension procedures in which women (GH ≥2 cm to ≤6 cm) received either perineorrhaphy or no perineorrhaphy. The primary aim compared body image between the groups postoperatively using the Body Image in Pelvic Organ Prolapse (BIPOP) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included prolapse stage, pain, pelvic floor muscle strength, pelvic floor symptoms, and sexual function. Between- and within-group differences were compared using Fisher exact test for categorical variables and t tests for continuous variables. When continuous variables were not normally distributed, the Welch-Satterthwaite test was used. Within-group analyses were performed via paired t tests for select continuous variables.

RESULTS

Forty-six women were enrolled; 45 (97.8%) completed the 6-week assessment and 38 (82.6%) completed the 3-month assessment. There were no differences in baseline characteristics. Although women within groups had an expected improvement in mean Body Image in Pelvic Organ Prolapse and subscale scores between baseline and 3 months (P < 0.05), there were no differences in the mean scores between groups. In addition, there were no differences between groups in any of the secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Performance of apical prolapse surgery improved women's body image, irrespective of performance of a perineorrhaphy. Other important outcomes, including pain, did not differ between women in the 2 groups. These findings demonstrate the need for further trials to investigate the utility of this procedure.

Patient Preparedness for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery: A Randomized Equivalence Trial of Preoperative Counseling

OBJECTIVE

Preoperative counseling can affect postoperative outcomes and satisfaction. We hypothesized that patient preparedness would be equivalent after preoperative counseling phone calls versus preoperative counseling office visits before prolapse surgery.

METHODS

This was an equivalence randomized controlled trial of women undergoing pelvic organ prolapse surgery. Participants were randomized to receive standardized counseling via a preoperative phone call or office visit. The primary outcome was patient preparedness measured on a 5-point Likert scale by the Patient Preparedness Questionnaire at the postoperative visit. A predetermined equivalence margin of 20% was used. Two 1-sided tests for equivalence were used for the primary outcome.

RESULTS

We randomized 120 women. The study was concluded early because of COVID-19 and subsequent surgery cancellations. There were 85 participants with primary outcome data (43 offices, 42 phones). Mean age was 62.0 years (±1.0) and 64 (75.3%) had stage III or stage IV prolapse. The primary outcome, patient preparedness measured at the postoperative visit, was equivalent between groups (office, n = 43 [97.7%]; phone, n = 42 [97.6%], P < 0.001). Most women reported they would have preferred a phone call (n = 66, 65.5%) with more women in the phone group expressing this preference than the office group (office 40.5% vs phone 90.5%, P < 0.001). Ultimately, nearly all women (96.5%) were satisfied with their method of counseling.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative counseling phone calls were equivalent to office visits for patient preparedness for pelvic organ prolapse surgery. This study demonstrates patient acceptance of phone calls for preoperative counseling. Telehealth modalities should be considered as an option for preoperative patient counseling.

The Influence of Patients' Goals on Surgical Satisfaction

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were to describe patients' surgical goals and determine if goal attainment is associated with postoperative satisfaction and regret.

METHODS

Women undergoing surgery for pelvic floor disorders between June and December 2019 were recruited. At their initial visit, patients listed up to 4 surgical goals. Three months after surgery, patients completed the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, Patient Global Impression of Improvement, Satisfaction with Decision Scale, and Decision Regret Scale. They were also shown their initial goals and asked, "Did you achieve this goal by having surgery?" Women who achieved all goals were designated "goal achievers," and those who did not achieve even 1 goal were "goal nonachievers" (GNAs).

RESULTS

Ninety-nine patients listed a median of 1 (range, 1-4) goals. Goals were categorized as follows: symptom improvement (52%), treatment achievement (23%), lifestyle improvement (17%), and information gathering (6%). Ninety-one percent of patients were goal achievers, and 9% were GNAs. Goal achievers had higher Satisfaction with Decision Scale scores (5.0 [4.7-5.0] vs 4.0 [3.8-4.8], P = 0.002), lower Decision Regret Scale scores (1.0 [1.0-1.4] vs 2.0 [1.1-2.7], P = 0.001), and better Patient Global Impression of Improvement scores (1.0 [1.0-2.0] vs 2.0 [1.0-4.0], P = 0.004). In prolapse surgery patients, postoperative Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory scores were similar; however, GNAs had higher postoperative Urinary Distress Inventory scores (17.0 ± 18.0 vs 45.8 ± 20.8, P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Ninety-one percent of women achieved their presurgical goals, the most common being symptom relief. Goal achievers have higher satisfaction and less regret; however, those with worsening or de novo urinary symptoms are more likely to be GNAs and be unsatisfied.

Is a Postvoid Residual Necessary? A Randomized Trial of Two Postoperative Voiding Protocols

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare a backfill-assisted voiding trial (VT) with and without a postvoid residual (PVR) after pelvic reconstructive surgery.

METHODS

This was a nonblinded randomized controlled trial of women undergoing pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress incontinence surgery. Participants were randomized immediately after surgery to either a PVR VT or a PVR-free VT. Our primary outcome was the rate of VT failure at discharge. Secondary outcomes included days of catheterization, urinary tract infection (UTI), and prolonged voiding dysfunction. With a power of 80% and an α of 0.05, we needed 126 participants to detect a 25% difference in VT failure (60% in PVR VT vs 35% in PVR-free VT).

RESULTS

Participants were enrolled from March 2017 to October 2017. Of the 150 participants, mean age was 59 years, and 33% underwent vaginal hysterectomy, 48% underwent anterior repair, and 75% underwent midurethral sling. Seventy-five (50%) were randomized to PVR VT and 75 (50%) to PVR-free VT, with no differences in baseline demographic or intraoperative characteristics between the 2 groups. Our primary outcome, VT failure, was not significantly different (53% PVR VT vs 53% PVR-free VT, P = 1.0). There were no significant differences in days of postoperative catheterization (1 [0, 4] in PVR VT vs 1 [0, 4] in PVR-free VT, P = 0.90), UTI (20% PVR VT vs 20% PVR-free VT, P = 1.0), or postoperative voiding dysfunction (4% PVR VT vs 5% PVR-free VT, P = 1.0).

CONCLUSIONS

When performing a backfill-assisted VT, checking a PVR does not affect VT failure, postoperative duration of catheterization, UTI, or voiding dysfunction.

Restricted Convalescence Following Urogynecologic Procedures: 1-Year Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between postoperative activity recommendations and satisfaction and anatomic and functional outcomes 1 year after surgery for symptomatic prolapse.

METHODS

This is a planned secondary analysis reporting 1-year functional and anatomic outcomes of a multicenter, randomized, double-masked clinical trial "ReCOUP." In the original trial, women undergoing surgery for prolapse were randomized to liberal (no limitations on physical activity) or restricted (heavy lifting and high-impact activity prohibited) postoperative activity recommendations for 3 months after surgery. At 1 year, our primary outcome was satisfaction, assessed using a 5-point Likert scale answer to the question, "How satisfied are you with the result of your prolapse surgery?" Anatomic surgical failure was met if women had prolapse beyond the hymen, apical descent greater than one third the vaginal length, OR retreatment for prolapse.

RESULTS

Of the 95 women (n = 45 liberal, n = 50 restricted) who were randomized and completed primary 3-month outcomes, 83 (87%) completed a functional assessment, and 77 (81%) completed both functional and anatomic assessment at 1 year. Satisfaction with surgery remained high (91.5%) with no differences between groups (86.8% vs 95.6% P = 0.155) as did anatomic and functional outcomes. There were 7.8% women who met criteria for anatomic surgical failure with no difference between the restricted (7.0%) and liberal group (8.8%). Three women (2 in the restricted group, 1 in the liberal group) with recurrent prolapse and underwent surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences in anatomic and functional outcomes at 12 months after surgery in women who resume postoperative activity liberally and those who restrict postoperative activity.

A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials Investigating Methods of Postoperative Void Trials Following Benign Gynecologic and Urogynecologic Surgeries

OBJECTIVE

To perform a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying postoperative void trials (VTs) following gynecologic and urogynecologic surgery to investigate (1) the optimal postoperative VT methodology and (2) the optimal time after surgery to perform a VT.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov.

METHOD OF STUDY SELECTION

We systematically searched the aforementioned data sources from inception to November 22, 2019, using a combination of subject headings and keywords for the following 3 concepts: gynecologic surgery (prolapse, benign gynecologic, and incontinence surgery), postoperative period, and voiding. We identified any RCT in English that studied VT methodology or timing in patients undergoing benign gynecologic or urogynecologic surgery. Discrepancies were adjudicated by a third reviewer. We followed the standard systematic review methodology and used the Jadad scoring system to assess bias. Extracted study outcomes included the following: proportion of patients discharged home with catheter, proportion of VT failure, surgery for retention, retention after initial VT, postoperative calls and visits, time in postanesthesia care unit (PACU), time to discharge, time to spontaneous void, duration of catheterization, patient and provider burden, and urinary tract infection (UTI).

TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS

We double screened 618 abstracts and clinical trial descriptions, assessed 56 full-text articles, and ultimately included 21 RCTs. The evidence was of low to moderate quality overall. The studies were divided into the following 2 categories: VT methodology (10 studies) and VT timing (11 studies). VT methodology included backfill-assisted (in operating room vs PACU), autofill, and force of stream studies. One RCT compared backfill-assisted with and without postvoid residual volume check. Outcomes were similar for all VT methods, except backfill-assisted decreased time to spontaneous void compared with autofill. In the VT timing category, earlier VT performance correlated with a shorter time to discharge, time to spontaneous void, duration of catheterization, and lower patient burden and UTI rate but had a higher rate of retention after initial VT. There was no difference between earlier vs later VT timing for proportion of discharged home with catheter or rate of VT failure. No studies reported outcomes of provider burden or postoperative calls.

CONCLUSION

In comparing VT methodologies, VT by backfill-assisted (in operating room vs PACU, ± postvoid residual volume), autofill, and force of stream resulted in similar outcomes with no one method being superior. Performing VT at an earlier postoperative time point results in shorter time to discharge and spontaneous void, shorter duration of catheterization, lower patient burden, and lower UTI risk, but it may increase the risk of retention after initial VT.

Satisfaction with a rechargeable sacral neuromodulation system-A secondary analysis of the ARTISAN-SNM study

AIM

To describe factors associated with satisfaction with the Axonics sacral neuromodulation (SNM) System at 1 year.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of data collected in the ARTISAN-SNM study-a single arm, prospective, multicenter trial of the Axonics r-SNM System™. ARTISAN-SNM recruited participants with urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) to undergo a single, nonstaged implant of the lead and rechargeable neurostimulator. Participants were considered therapy responders if they had ≥50% reduction in UUI episodes in a 3-day period at 1-month post-implant. Bladder diaries and satisfaction (7-point Likert scale) were assessed at 1 year.

RESULTS

In all, 124 participants (110 "responders" and 14 "non-responders") had complete data at baseline, 1 month and 1 year following implant. Most participants were satisfied with Axonics at 1 year: 68.5% were "very satisfied," 25.8% were "moderately satisfied," and 2.4% were "slightly satisfied." At 1 year, treatment efficacy, as measured by electronic bladder diaries, was significantly associated with satisfaction. Participants who were "very satisfied" had a larger reduction in voids per day (p = .01), leaks per day (p = .004), urgent leaks per day (p = .04), and voids in which the urgency was desperate per day (p = .03) compared to those less satisfied. Twelve of the 14 "non-responders" continued to see improvements in symptom reduction from 1 month to 1 year; 9/14 (64%) were "responders" at 1 year with six reporting being "very satisfied" and one reporting being "moderately satisfied."

CONCLUSION

Satisfaction 1 year after implantation of Axonics SNM is extremely high and correlates with the degree of symptom improvement, which increases over time.

Patient-defined goals for the treatment of fecal incontinence: a qualitative analysis among women attending a urogynecology clinic

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Fecal incontinence treatment goals are understudied and are not described for women presenting to care. Our objective was to explore patient-reported goals for fecal incontinence management among women presenting for care at a pelvic floor disorders clinic and develop a conceptual framework that captures the range of desired treatment outcomes.

METHODS

A qualitative analysis of patient-reported goals for women with fecal incontinence attending a pelvic floor disorders clinic from October 2017-November 2019 was conducted. A team-based approach was used to identify themes and emerging concepts and develop a conceptual framework.

RESULTS

One hundred patients met the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 58 ± 14 years; 67% were White and 46% non-Hispanic. Seventy-nine percent of women had diagnosis(es) of prolapse, urinary complaints, or another pelvic floor disorder. From 230 unique goals identified, five thematic categories emerged: Emotional Status, Functional Status, Concurrent Pelvic Floor Disorders, Care Seeking, and Treatment Aspirations. Thematic domains not previously represented in other qualitative work include patients' focus on treatment for global pelvic health rather than solely on fecal incontinence and treatment aspirations ranging from improvement to cure. Our model captures the close relationship between all pelvic floor disorders and emotion, which in return affects all facets of care.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with fecal incontinence report a range of treatment goals from improvement to complete resolution of symptoms. Focusing treatment on patient goals by addressing global pelvic health and negotiating realistic treatment outcomes may improve care in this population.

A systematic review comparing early with late removal of indwelling urinary catheters after pelvic organ prolapse surgery

BACKGROUND

An indwelling catheter is routinely used after pelvic organ prolapse surgery to prevent urinary retention. However, the timing of catheter removal remains controversial.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the optimal timing of catheter removal following prolapse surgery.

METHODS

Electronic databases including the Cochrane Center Controlled Test Center, Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI were searched up to January 2010. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different timings of catheter removal after prolapse surgery were eligible. Results from RCTs comparing early versus late removal were pooled, and different durations of catheterization were divided into three sub-comparisons (≤ 2 days versus > 2 days; ≤ 1 day versus 2 days; < 1 day versus 1 day). Primary outcomes were urinary tract infection (UTI) and re-catheterization. Secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay and patient-reported outcomes.

RESULTS

Seven RCTs with 964 women were involved in the analysis. Early catheter removal was associated with a reduced incidence of UTI (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.9) but an increased risk of re-catheterization (RR 2.67, 95% CI 1.6 to 4.48). Significant differences in primary outcomes were found in the sub-comparison of ≤ 2 days versus > 2 days. Three of six trials found a significantly shorter length of hospital stay in the early removal group. The results for postoperative pain were mixed.

CONCLUSION

Among patients following pelvic organ prolapse surgery, early catheter removal is preferred. Moreover, the timing for removal is preferably within 2 days postoperatively.

From anatomy to patient experience in pelvic floor surgery: Mindlines, evidence, responsibility, and transvaginal mesh

Beginning in the late 1990s, surgeons around the world widely adopted the transvaginal placement of permanent synthetic mesh for the treatment of several common pelvic floor disorders in women. By 2012 it had become the subject of extensive litigation, including one of the biggest mass-tort cases in U.S. history, with litigants reporting debilitating and unexpected complications. Based on qualitative research that includes interviews with surgeons, observations of medical conferences, and analysis of archival materials, we argue the adoption of transvaginal mesh cannot be fully explained without recognizing the role of mindlines, or collective moral-epistemological ways of knowing and acting responsibly. The adoption of mesh was anchored in a mindline focused on repairing anatomy. The harms that resulted from transvaginal mesh necessitated a shift to a focus on patient experience. We analyze the role of evidence-based medicine (EBM) in the re-organization of these surgeons' mindlines, showing that mindlines are not reducible to evidence as defined by EBM and that evidence thus defined facilitated the adoption of transvaginal mesh.

Optimal timing of a second postoperative voiding trial in women with incomplete bladder emptying after vaginal reconstructive surgery: a randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Rates of postoperative incomplete bladder emptying vary significantly after pelvic reconstructive surgery. With enhanced recovery protocols the paradigm is shifting towards same-day discharge and the rates of incomplete bladder emptying are expected to increase. The optimal length of time for postoperative catheter drainage has not been clearly established. There are no current studies that assess the optimal timing of a repeat voiding trial in women who have unsuccessful same day voiding trials.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the outcomes of a second voiding trial performed 2-4 days (earlier group) vs 7 days (later group) postoperatively in women with incomplete bladder emptying after vaginal prolapse surgery. Secondary aims included postoperative urinary tract infection rates, total days with a catheter, and patient-reported catheter bother between groups.

STUDY DESIGN

Across 2 sites, women undergoing multicompartment vaginal repair were enrolled. Within 6 hours postoperatively, subjects had an active retrograde voiding trial. Those who passed this voiding trial exited the study; those who had persistent incomplete bladder emptying (postvoid residual >100 mL) had a transurethral indwelling catheter placed and were randomized to return for an earlier (postoperative day 2-4) vs later (postoperative day 7) follow-up office voiding trial. Subjects were followed for 6 weeks after surgery. The primary outcome was the rate of unsuccessful repeat office voiding trial. Secondary outcomes included rates of urinary tract infection, total days with a catheter, and subjective catheter bother. A power calculation based on a projected 31% difference, a power of 0.8, and an alpha of 0.05 revealed that 30 subjects were needed in each group.

RESULTS

A total of 102 subjects were enrolled; 38 exited on postoperative day 0, leaving 64 subjects for randomization (4 of whom withdrew after randomization). A comparison of data revealed that randomization was effective, with no differences between the earlier and later groups in terms of demographic data or surgical procedures. Using an intention-to-treat analysis, women in the earlier group were more likely to be unsuccessful in their follow-up office voiding trial (23.3%) than the later group (3.3%), with a risk difference of 20% (95% confidence interval, 3.56-36.44) and a relative risk of 7.00 (95% confidence interval, 0.92-53.47; P=.02). A number-needed-to-treat calculation found that for every 5 patients using a catheter for 7 days postoperatively, 1 case of persistent postoperative incomplete bladder emptying was prevented. Rates of catheter bother did not differ between groups at the time of the follow-up office voiding trial or at 6 weeks (P=.09 and P=.20, respectively). Urinary tract infection rates were higher in the earlier group but did not reach statistical significance (23% vs 7%, P=.07). Regression analysis revealed that subjects who required additional pain medication refills were 9.6 times (95% confidence interval, 1.24-73.77) more likely to have persistent incomplete bladder emptying after the follow-up office voiding trial.

CONCLUSION

Women with incomplete bladder emptying after multicompartment prolapse repair had a 7-fold higher risk of an unsuccessful repeat office voiding trial if performed within 4 days of surgery than when performed within 7 days of surgery. In addition, requiring additional prescriptions for analgesia increased the risk of an unsuccessful follow-up office voiding trial.

A urinary catheter valve is non-inferior to continuous bladder drainage with respect to post-operative UTIs: a randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common with indwelling catheter use. Our primary aim was to compare UTI rates in women sent home after surgery with continuous bladder drainage versus a urinary catheter valve.

METHODS

This was a non-inferiority prospective randomized controlled study between June 2016 to June 2019. Women who were being discharged home with a Foley catheter following urogynecologic surgery due to urinary retention were randomized to a continuous urinary drainage bag or a urinary catheter valve. The primary outcome of this study was post-operative UTI rates within 30 days of surgery. The secondary outcome was patient satisfaction, as determined by a Foley satisfaction questionnaire.

RESULTS

Out of 97 women, 51 were randomized to continuous drainage and 46 to the urinary catheter valve. Comparing UTI rates, the urinary catheter valve (32.6%) was non-inferior to the continuous urinary drainage bag (33.3%). The upper bound of the 95% CI was less than the predetermined non-inferiority margin (difference 0.7%, 95% CI: -0.195, 0.180), and therefore non-inferiority criteria were met. Patients were more satisfied with the urinary catheter valve than with the continuous drainage bag (p ≤ 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Use of this urinary catheter valve increased patient satisfaction without affecting the post-operative UTI rate. This easy and inexpensive device could help patients have a better catheter experience and should be considered in women being discharged home with a urinary catheter.

Voided volume for postoperative voiding assessment following prolapse and urinary incontinence surgery

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The objective was to compare the safety and accuracy of voided volume with the standard retrograde fill approach for voiding assessment after pelvic floor surgery.

METHODS

This cohort represents all women in our repository who underwent postoperative voiding assessment following procedures for pelvic floor disorders between September 2011 and June 2014. One surgeon utilized a spontaneous voiding (SV) protocol and allowed any patient who voided 150 ml or more at one time to pass the trial. The other surgeon used a retrograde fill (RF) protocol. This involved instilling the bladder with 300 ml of water or until maximum capacity immediately after the outpatient procedures and on the first postoperative day for hospitalized patients. For this protocol, a voided volume of 200 ml was considered sufficient to pass the trial.

RESULTS

In this cohort, 431 women had a voiding trial with SV, and 318 with RF. The groups were similar with respect to baseline characteristics but more women in the RF group had a sling-only procedure. The failure rates of the RF (22.8%) and SV (20.0%) groups were similar (p = 0.46). Among women who passed the voiding trial, similar percentages of women returned with urinary retention and needed catheter insertion after the RF (1.6%) and SV (0.9%) methods (p = 0.65).

CONCLUSION

Spontaneous voiding trial based on a minimum voided volume of 150 ml is a safe and reliable alternative to the retrograde fill method after female pelvic floor procedures.

Patient selected goals and satisfaction after bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease

Assessing patient goals is crucial in understanding patient centered outcomes and satisfaction. However, patient goals may change throughout treatment. Our objective is to identify the changes in patient-selected goals of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients undergoing bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) and examine the relationship among patient-selected goal achievement, standard DBS outcome measures, and overall patient satisfaction. Seventy-five patients undergoing bilateral STN-DBS listed three patient-selected goals before surgery. After six months, patients were asked to restate the three goals and to rate the degree of goal achievement and the overall satisfaction of surgery. The three most frequently selected goals were "dyskinesia", "gait disorder", and "medication off duration". After six months, 80.0% of patients could not accurately recall their pre-DBS goals. "Dyskinesia" was the most consistently selected goal, more patients selected "tremor" and "less medication" at post-DBS compared to pre-DBS, and less patients selected "gait disorder" at post-DBS compared to pre-DBS. 74.7% of patients reported overall satisfaction by stating they were "very much" or "much better after surgery". Patient satisfaction significantly correlated with goal achievement (r = 0.640; p < 0.001). Interestingly, change in UPDRS motor scores did not correlate with patient satisfaction (r = 0.100; p = 0.395). Although recalled goals do not accurately represent the pre-surgical goals, the achievement score for recalled goals significantly correlated with patient satisfaction. Patient goals change due to many reasons. Therefore, follow-up patient counseling to discuss goals and outcomes is important in improving patient satisfaction after STN-DBS.

A Comparison of Two Methods of Catheter Management After Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To compare effects on activity between two catheter management systems after failed voiding trial after pelvic reconstructive surgery.

METHODS

Women with a failed postoperative voiding trial after reconstructive pelvic surgeries were randomized to plug-unplug or continuous drainage catheters. The primary outcome was a mean activity assessment scale score. Secondary outcomes included urinary tract infection (UTI), time to passing outpatient voiding trial, and patient satisfaction. Enrollees who passed the voiding trial were assigned to a "Reference" arm. Ninety participants (30 per arm) provided more than 80% power to detect an effect size of 0.33 in the primary outcome, using a two-sided alpha of 0.05.

RESULTS

Sixty-three patients were randomized (32 plug-unplug, 31 continuous drainage). The first 30 participants discharged without a catheter comprised the reference arm. There was no difference in postoperative activity assessment scale scores (total: plug-unplug 70.3, continuous drainage 67.7, reference arm 79.4; P=.090) between arms. Women in the continuous drainage arm noted more difficulty compared with the plug-unplug arm when managing the catheter "during the day" (P=.043) and "all the time" (P=.049) and felt the catheter impeded activities (P=.012) and wearing clothes (P=.005). The catheter arms had significantly higher rates of culture-positive UTI compared with the reference arm (58.7% vs 6.7%, P<.001). However, rate of UTI did not differ between catheter arms (plug-unplug, 68.8% vs continuous drainage, 48.4%, P=.625). The majority of patients passed their outpatient voiding trials at the initial postoperative visit (plug-unplug 71.9%, continuous drainage 58.1%, P=.250). There was no difference in patient satisfaction, with the majority reporting they were "very satisfied" (plug-unplug 78.1%, continuous drainage 80.0%, reference 66.7%, P=.202).

CONCLUSION

Postoperative activity does not differ in patients discharged with plug-unplug or continuous drainage catheters, but those with plug-unplug perceive easier management and ability to complete activities of daily living. The plug-unplug method is an acceptable alternative to traditional catheterization after pelvic reconstructive surgery.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03071211.

Catheter burden following urogynecologic surgery

BACKGROUND

Data on the experience that women who undergo urogynecologic surgery have with postoperative catheterization are severely limited. As the importance of our patients' perioperative experience becomes more valued, assessment of the burden of postoperative catheterization, which has not yet been performed, is increasingly needed.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare catheter burden in women who self-selected use of an indwelling Foley catheter vs clean intermittent self-catheterization for voiding dysfunction after reconstructive pelvic surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a nested study within a nonblinded randomized controlled trial of 2 different voiding trial protocols that was conducted from March to October 2017. Women who underwent pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence surgery who were English speaking and ≥18 years old with a preoperative postvoid residual <100 mL were included. Participants who did not pass their voiding trial were discharged with an indwelling Foley catheter or self-catheterization per participant preference. Our primary outcome was catheter burden at 1 week after surgery assessed by the Short-Term Catheter Burden Questionnaire, which is a validated 6-item survey comprised of 2 subscales: difficulty of use and embarrassment. Scores range from 3-15 with higher scores indicating greater difficulty and/or embarrassment, and the sum of the 2 subscale scores measures total catheter burden with a higher score indicating greater burden. Secondary outcomes included the rate of urinary tract infection, the number of postoperative clinic visits, and the number of postoperative phone calls.

RESULTS

Of 150 participants, 77 women (51%) did not pass their voiding trial; of those, 47 women (61%) were discharged home with an indwelling catheter and 30 women (39%) with self-catheterization. Baseline demographics were similar, except that women who chose an indwelling Foley catheter were older (62±11 vs 55±11 years; P<.01). There were no significant differences between indwelling Foley catheter and self-catheterization in total catheter burden score (18±5 vs 18±6; P=.77), difficulty of use subscale score (8±3 vs 9±3; P=.20), or embarrassment subscale score (10±4 vs 9±4; P=.12). For secondary outcomes, there were no significant differences in rate of urinary tract infection (23% indwelling vs 30% self-catheterization; P=.60). Consistent with study protocol, women who were discharged with an indwelling Foley catheter did have more postoperative clinic visits (2±1 vs 1±1 visits; P<.01), and those women who were discharged with self-catheterization had more postoperative phone calls (2±3 vs 5±3 phone calls; P<.01). Otherwise there was no significant difference in nonvoiding-related clinic visits (1±1 visits for indwelling and self-catheterization; P=.15) or postoperative phone calls (1±2 indwelling vs 2±3 self-catheterization calls; P=.31).

CONCLUSION

In women who used either an indwelling Foley catheter or clean intermittent self-catheterization for management of postoperative voiding dysfunction after pelvic reconstructive surgery, there were no differences in difficulty of use, embarrassment, or overall catheter burden. There were also no differences in nonvoiding-related postoperative phone calls or clinic visits, with similar rates of urinary tract infection between the 2 groups.

Characterizing anxiety at the first encounter in women presenting to the clinic: the CAFÉ study

BACKGROUND

Clinically based anxiety questionnaires measure 2 forms of anxiety that are known as state anxiety and trait anxiety. State anxiety is temporary and is sensitive to change; trait anxiety is a generalized propensity to be anxious.

OBJECTIVE

Our study aims to characterize the reasons for anxiety among women about the initial consultation for their pelvic floor disorders to measure change in participant state anxiety after the visit and to correlate improvement in anxiety with visit satisfaction.

STUDY DESIGN

All new patients at our tertiary urogynecology clinic were invited to participate. After giving consent, participants completed pre- and postvisit questionnaires. Providers were blinded to pre- and postvisit questionnaire responses. The previsit questionnaires included the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and the 6-item short form of the Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Participants were also asked to list their previsit anxieties. The postvisit questionnaires comprised of the Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory, patient global impression of improvement of participant anxiety, patient satisfaction, and the participant's perception of whether her anxiety was addressed during the visit. The anxieties listed by participants were then reviewed independently and categorized by 2 of the authors. A separate panel arbitrated when there were disagreements among anxiety categories.

RESULTS

Fifty primarily white (66%) women with a median age of 53 years (interquartile range, 41-66) completed the study. The visit diagnoses included stress urinary incontinence (54%), urge urinary incontinence (46%), myofascial pain (28%), pelvic organ prolapse (20%), and recurrent urinary tract infection (12%). Less than one-quarter of participants (22%) had a history of anxiety diagnosis. The average previsit Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory score was 42.9 (standard deviation, 11.98) which decreased by an average of 12.60 points in the postvisit (95% confidence interval, -16.56 to -8.64; P<.001). Postvisit decreased anxiety was associated with improvements in the patient global impression of improvement anxiety (P<.001) and participants' perception that their anxiety symptoms had been addressed completely (P=.045). The most reported causes for consultation related anxiety were lack of knowledge of diagnosis and ramifications, personal or social issues, and fear of the physical examination. Participants reported that improvements in anxiety were related to patient education and reassurance, medical staff appreciation, and acceptable treatment plan. Participants who reported complete satisfaction demonstrated a greater decrease in the postvisit Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory scores compared with the participants who did not report complete satisfaction (P=.045). Changes in the Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory score were not associated with the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (P=.35) or Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scores (P=.78).

CONCLUSION

Women with the highest satisfaction after their initial urogynecology visit also demonstrated the largest decreases in anxiety after the visit. Changes in anxiety scores were not correlated with the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory or with measures of generalized anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7). Recognizing and addressing patient anxiety may help physicians better treat their patients and improve overall patient satisfaction.

Does Surgical Approach in Pelvic Floor Repair Impact Sexual Function in Women?

Introduction

Surgical routes used to correct complex pelvic floor disorders (CPFDs) may have a negative impact on women’s sexual function. Currently, there is no evidence concerning the impact of a specific surgical procedure on postoperative sexual function in women.

Aim

The aim of this study was to compare an abdominal approach with rectopexy and sacrocolpopexy to a perineal procedure with abdominal rectopexy, regarding female sexual function in cases of CPFDs.

Methods

Women who were operated for CPFDs between January 2003 and June 2010 were retrospectively asked to answer the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12, the Miller Score of Incontinence, and a urinary incontinence frequency score. We also questioned them about their sexual function and satisfaction before and after the operation using visual analogic scores.

Main Outcome Measure

We compared the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12 before and after the surgery in both groups, and we made an intragroup comparison.

Results

There were 334 women identified, but only 51 could be included. Globally, we found no statistically significant differences in terms of sexual function before and after surgery between the 25 groups. Intragroup comparison demonstrated that, within the perineal approach group, patients experienced a decrease in their sexual arousal after the procedure. The choice of surgical route for pelvic floor disorders does not seem to have an impact on the results of postoperative sexual function in women. This study adds to the limited literature on sexual outcomes of surgery for CPFD. It is limited principally due to its retrospective design and the small number of patients included.

Conclusion

Both surgical routes have very similar outcomes on most sexual questions. A perineal approach combined with abdominal rectopexy did, however, demonstrate a slight decrease in sexual arousal of the patients after the intervention.

Zawodnik A, Balaphas A, Buchs NC, et al. Does Surgical Approach in Pelvic Floor Repair Impact Sexual Function in Women? Sex Med 2019;7:522–529.

A longitudinal qualitative evaluation of patient perspectives of adverse events after pelvic reconstructive surgery

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Patient perception of adverse events (AEs) after pelvic floor disorder surgery is incompletely understood and may differ from providers' views of AEs. Our objective is to describe patient perceptions of AEs related to pelvic floor disorder surgery and how perceptions change over time.

METHODS

Mixed-method study of longitudinal patient interviews and surveys. Women planning pelvic floor disorder surgery completed three one-on-one interviews: preoperatively (< 12 weeks before surgery), 6-8 weeks postoperatively, and 6 months postoperatively. Interviews explored the patient experience of surgery and their perception of AEs over time. Participants ranked self-identified AEs by severity. De-identified transcripts of audio recordings were coded and analyzed using an iterative, thematic, team-based process using NVivo software (QSR International).

RESULTS

Twenty women each completed three separate interviews for a total of 60 interviews. Their mean age was 55.3 (± 12.7) years, and 50% were Non-Hispanic white. Women's perceptions of AEs changed as more time passed from surgery. Women identified potential problems related to surgery such as anesthesia complications, pain, injury, catheter issues, and an unsuccessful surgery as the most concerning AEs preoperatively. Postoperatively (6-8 weeks), women expressed concern about functional outcomes (e.g., performing daily activities, symptom reduction). Late postoperatively (6 months), the majority identified unsuccessful surgery, incontinence, and sexual dysfunction as severe AEs. These findings are consistent with prior work that suggests women perceive functional outcomes as fundamental to their recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of patient-centered perspectives on AEs. Patients view poor functional outcomes as severe AEs.