The effect of preoperative scopolamine patch use on postoperative urinary retention in urogynecologic surgeries.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: This study aims to determine whether the use of preoperative transdermal scopolamine is associated with an increased risk of postoperative urinary retention in urogynecologic surgeries.

METHODS

This is a retrospective chart review study of women who underwent surgery between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020. Patients who received a scopolamine patch versus those who did not were compared using demographic and perioperative variables utilizing Pearson's chi-squared test and t-test of Wilcoxon rank-sum. A logistic regression was performed to evaluate the effect of scopolamine on the patients' postoperative voiding trial results, controlling for confounders. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 449 women underwent a vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomy, midurethral sling placement, uterosacral or sacrospinous ligament suspension, sacrocolpopexy, anterior/posterior colporrhaphy, or other urogynecologic surgeries with 109 (24.2%) having received transdermal scopolamine. A significantly higher number of women with preoperative scopolamine [n = 50 (45.9%)] failed their voiding trial compared to those without scopolamine [n = 100 (29.4%), p = 0.0016]. The adjusted model yielded an odds ratio of 1.75 (95% CI: 1.08-2.85) of a failed voiding trial in the scopolamine group. When comparing the odds of failing voiding trial by surgery type, those with a midurethral sling placed during surgery had an adjusted odds ratio of 3.12 (95% CI: 2.01-4.87), as compared to those without a midurethral sling.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of a transdermal scopolamine patch for nausea and vomiting prophylaxis is associated with increased risk of postoperative urinary retention across all urogynecologic surgeries.