Is vaginal hysterectomy a risk factor for urinary incontinence at long-term follow-up?

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of urinary symptoms at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy.

STUDY

DESIGN

One hundred and seventeen patients, who had a vaginal hysterectomy for menorrhagia, from January 1991 to December 2001, answered to a self-report questionnaire about de novo urinary symptoms. The control group was a population of 116 patients who had a conservative treatment for dysfunctional uterine bleeding by endometrial thermocoagulation from January 1994 to December 2001.

RESULTS

Patient characteristics (mean age, mean parity, menopausal status, smoking status, drink habits) were similar in the two groups. Mean follow-up was 4.6+/-2.2 years (range 1.5-11) after vaginal hysterectomy and 4+/-1.8 years (range 1.5-7) after conservative treatment. The prevalence of urinary symptoms, included urge and stress incontinence, were statistically similar in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

This study reveals no risk of urge or stress urinary incontinence at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy, compared with conservative treatment.