Stress-overflow urinary incontinence after radical hysterectomy and radiation therapy for cervical cancer

A 40-year-old woman was evaluated for urinary incontinence, loss of bladder sensation and residual urine 12 months after radical abdominal hysterectomy and external pelvic radiation therapy for stage IIb cervical cancer. The patient had no history of abnormal lower urinary tract function before treatment. The urodynamic follow-up study at 12 months showed 80 ml of residual urine, low bladder compliance (detrusor pressure of 77 cmH₂O at 200 ml filling) and an incompetent urethral closure mechanism. Cystoscopy showed a pale bladder mucosa with telangiectasia. Two years later the urodynamic findings were almost unchanged, and pudendal nerve terminal motor latency measured according to Snooks and Swash showed prolonged motor latency to the external urethral sphincter. Thus, this patient had combined stress overflow incontinence with pudendal neuropathy and fibrosis of the bladder wall.     

Stress urinary incontinence following radical hysterectomy with and without radiation therapy: Surgical results in 13 patients

Only a few articles have reported clinical experience of treating patients with stress urinary incontinence following radical hysterectomy and postoperative irradiation. These cases are generally characterized by detrusor areflexia, small bladder capacity, and low bladder compliance. During the past 5 years, 13 such patients were operated upon, including 6 patients without irradiation. Of these 8 had the Stamey procedure, 3 had a vaginal wall sling, and 2 had a pubovaginal sling. The success rate was 71% for the group with irradiation and 100% for the group without irradiation, while the overall success rate was 85%. Surgery significantly improved two anatomic parameters in a chain cystourethrogram: the posterior urethrovesical angle and the conjugata incontinentia. Surgical indications relevant to successful outcome are discussed.Supported partly be a research grant for aging from the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare.Editorial Comment: Little is known regarding the therapy of genuine stress incontinence following radical hysterectomy, especially when associated with radiation therapy. The surgeon is faced with potentially severely altered urethrovesical function due to the decentralization of the lower urinary tract secondary to the radical surgery. Non-compliant low capacity bladders make therapy of stress incontinence difficult. When radiation therapy is added marked alterations in tissue plasticity and blood supply result. The combination of all these factors complicate the medical and surgical therapy of incontience, and frequently the surgeon decides not to operate because of the increased possibility of failure. Although the numbers are small this paper demonstrates that good success rates for surgical therapy of genuine stress incontinence is possible when the proper surgical procedure is chosen.     

Surgical treatment for stress urinary incontinence

Abstract:   The prevalence of stress urinary incontinence is quite significant with large numbers of women affected. Many of these women will not seek medical help in the belief that they will not be cured or improved. With the increasing numbers of procedures now available we present a review of both established and novel surgical techniques that is intended to help both urologists and primary care physicians in the counselling of patients complaining of stress incontinence. We compare the "gold standards" of surgical treatment for all types of stress incontinence with the newer techniques that have recently become popular among urologists and gynaecologists.     

Preliminary results on the off-label use of duloxetine for the treatment of stress incontinence after radical prostatectomy or cystectomy

OBJECTIVES: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a common compliant of patients after pelvic surgery. To date, no pharmacotherapy for men is available, but duloxetine, a combined serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, has been successfully introduced and tested for SUI in women. The aim of our study was to evaluate if duloxetine is safe and effective for men with stress incontinence after radical prostatectomy or cystectomy. METHODS: Twenty patients were included in our study, 15 after radical prostatectomy and 5 after radical cystectomy and orthotopic ileal neobladder reconstruction. Each patient reported at least 3 wk of SUI despite doing consequent pelvic floor exercises. After exclusion of a urinary tract infection, we administered 40 mg duloxetine twice daily for a mean of 9.4 wk (range: 1-35 wk). RESULTS: After duloxetine, the average daily use of incontinence pads was lowered significantly (p < 0.001) from 8.0 (+/-6.5) to 4.2 (+/-5.9). Seven patients were completely dry or used one pad daily at most. Most patients reported mild side effects such as fatigue or a dry mouth, but these symptoms vanished after a short time. Six patients, however, had severe side effects, mainly massive fatigue or insomnia, and discontinued using duloxetine. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results suggest that duloxetine is effective in men with SUI after prostatectomy or cystectomy. Further prospective studies with more patients included and a longer follow-up are recommended.     

Ten-year follow-up after conservative treatment of stress urinary incontinence

A follow-up study was done in 33 women 10 years after they had participated in a study on conservative treatment of stress urinary incontinence. The evaluation included a 24-h pad test, a short stress test, and two validated quality of life questionnaires. Currently, five women (15%) were still doing pelvic floor muscle training at least twice per week. During the interim, 15 (47%) women had undergone stress incontinence surgery, and 12 (80%) of these were continent. Among the 18 non-operated women, only one (6%) was continent. The difference is statistically highly significant (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, 10 years after conservative treatment of stress incontinence, 85% of the women had stopped conservative treatment, and 94% of those not operated were still incontinent. Significantly more of those who had undergone interval incontinence surgery were now continent.     

Sub-urethral slings for treatment of stress urinary incontinence

Sling surgery is considered to be the gold standard for the treatment of incontinence resulting from internal sphincter deficiency. A century of experience is reviewed and evolving new concepts and techniques are presented.     

加速康复外科理念在腹腔镜下宫颈癌根治术中的管理实践及效果评价

目的:制定适用于腹腔镜下宫颈癌根治术的妇科加速康复外科(Enhanced recovery after surgery,ERAS)方案,评价该方案临床应用效果.方法:组建妇科ERAS多学科团队,筛选最佳实施策略,确立妇科ERAS方案,进行人员培训和方案实施,固化有效措施,并在院内交流实施经验.选择方案实施前146例宫颈癌患者为对照组,实施后128例宫颈癌患者为试验组,比较两组患者术后恢复情况.结果:试验组术后并发症总发生率为21.09％,显著低于对照组(38.36％),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).两组患者术后住院日、住院费用和术后30d再入院率差异无统计学意义(P>0.05).试验组术后初次下床活动时间、胃肠功能恢复时间均显著低于对照组(P<0.05).结论:将细节落至实处的妇科加速康复外科方案可安全应用于腹腔镜下宫颈癌根治术,缩短患者术后身体功能恢复时间.     

Urodynamic and ultrasound characteristics of incontinence after radical hysterectomy

AIMS: To test whether symptoms of urinary incontinence after radical hysterectomy could be objectified with urodynamics and ultrasound. METHODS: This case-control study comprised 100 women who underwent radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer without post-operative radiotherapy. Fifty women reporting urinary incontinence were matched with 50 women reporting continence. All women were assessed with ultrasound of the bladder neck movements and urodynamics. RESULTS: No differences were found in ultrasound or urodynamic findings regarding mobility of the bladder neck, maximal detrusor pressure, post-voiding residual urine, flow of urine, or bladder capacity. A significant reduction in urethral pressure at rest and at contraction among the incontinent women was, however, demonstrated. Among urge-incontinent women, urethral pressure at rest was significantly lower than among continent and stress-incontinent women, respectively. Stress-incontinent women had significantly lower urethral pressure at contraction than did urge-incontinent and continent women. CONCLUSIONS: No differences in urodynamic or ultrasound findings were observed between the two groups, except for an overall difference in the intraurethral pressure. A decrease in the urethral pressure could contribute to the characterization of incontinence after radical hysterectomy, indicating that the urethral sphincter mechanism plays a role in the pathophysiology. In this study design, the mobility of the bladder neck did not play any role.     

Surgical correction of urinary incontinence

Over the last 6 years, 114 patients have undergone surgery for urinary incontinence. The majority (79%) had neurologic dysfunction of the bladder because of spinal malformation (myelodysplasia, sacral agenesis, or trauma) and the remaining were a mixed group including exstrophy/epispadias, urethral valves, pelvic fractures, etc. The patients were grouped in six categories. Those with lower urethral resistance underwent bladder neck reconstruction with Young-Dees-Leadbetter procedure (five patients) or had placement of an artificial urinary sphincter (27 patients). Those with poor bladder compliance underwent primary bladder augmentation (21 patients). Those with combined urethral problems and poor compliance had combined procedures (14 patients). Thirty-seven patients previously diverted for incontinence and undergoing undiversion were considered separately, as were ten patients without any bladder precluding preoperative assessment. Of the entire group, continence was achieved in 83 patients with the initial procedure (73%). Secondary procedures have resulted in continence in 101 patients (89%). Three patients were improved but unsatisfactory, and nine remain wet; one is unknown.     

Transurethral collagen injection for treatment of stress urinary incontinence

Summary Minimally invasive treatment of urinary incontinence has become a subject of major interest in recent years. We examined the use of transurethral collagen injection for incontinence treatment. A total of 48 patients were selectet for this procedure from April 1993 to February 1997 – 26 male patients (19 post-RPX incontinence and 7 post-TUR incontinence) and 22 female patients (all after previous incontinence surgery) were treated by injection of collagen into the continence region. The whole group underwent an average of 1.8 sessions, and a mean collagen injection volume of 14.5 ml was delivered per session. Mean follow-up was 9.2 months. Of the female population, 68.2 % were cured or greatly improved. In the male population only 47.3 % of the post-RPX patients and 6/7 of the post-TUR patients benefited from the procedure. In males, treatment outcome depends on the degree of pretreatment incontinence, because all grade III incontinence patients did worse. Therefore we conclude: transurethral collagen injection is an interesting method in the treatment of urinary incontinence if proper patient selection is assured.      

腹腔镜广泛子宫切除术641例并发症分析

目的:探讨腹腔镜广泛子宫切除术后并发症的发生原因及处理方法.方法:回顾性分析2006年1月-2011年1月在解放军总医院妇产科临床诊断为宫颈癌和子宫内膜癌并行腹腔镜广泛子宫切除术的641例患者手术并发症的发生和处理情况,并与963例行开腹广泛子宫切除术的宫颈癌和子宫内膜癌患者的术后并发症发生情况进行比较.结果:行腹腔镜...     

Surgical treatment of anal incontinence

Surgery is mandatory for fecal incontinence when medical treatments and reeducation by biofeedback are ineffective. Sphincter disruption is the most frequent cause. Sphincter repair with or without overlapping is indicated in the large majority of cases. Short-term results are good but result is not ever maintained with time. In case of failure, or when the defect concerns more than 180 degrees, it is necessary to use a substitutive technique. Artificial anal sphincter is often first proposed because of its apparent technical simplicity and because it is cheaper than dynamic graciloplasty. Results are excellent. Failures are due to local infection or device disfunction. Dynamic graciloplastie may be proposed in patients with severe perineal lesions, or failure of the other methods. Its results are also excellent, except for the patients having disordered rectal perception. Sacral nerve stimulation is limited to patients with idiopathic or neurologic incontinence. Because definitive implantation is done only following positive preoperative stimulation test, short-term results are very good.     

Ultrasonography in stress urinary incontinence

Evaluation of the urethrovesical junction in stress urinary incontinence is essential. For this reason the Q-tip test, a clinical test with debatable specificity; lateral cystourethrography, a conventional method; and videourethrocystography, a sophisticated method, have been in use. Because ultrasonography is inexpensive, reliable, easy to apply and free of any contrast material and X-ray exposure, it has practically replaced all the former methods in the evaluation of the urethrovesical junction in stress urinary incontinence patients within the last decade.     

TVT-O治疗女性压力性尿失禁的疗效观察

目的 探讨评价经闭孔无张力尿道中段悬吊术(TVT-O)治疗女性压力性尿失禁(SUI)的临床疗效.方法 回顾性分析2008年9月至2011年9月采用TVT-O治疗SUI18例进行疗效观察.结果 手术时间15 ～45min,平均25 min,术中出血20 ～ 60ml,平均40ml.拔管后尿失禁消失15例,增加腹压后偶有尿液溢出3例.随访3～l2个月,平均6个月,无一例复发.结论 TVT-O治疗SUI操作简单安全,创伤小,并发症少,疗效可靠,是一种理想治疗方法.     

Learning curve could affect oncologic outcome of minimally invasive radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer

Background/ObjectiveRecent prospective studies have shown poorer oncologic outcomes following minimally invasive surgery, which has led many surgeons to deeply inspect their practices. We reviewed our experience and evaluated the results of radical hysterectomy in patients with early stage cervical cancer.MethodsThis retrospective study included patients with early stage cervical cancer (Ia1 - IIa1) who were treated with radical hysterectomy from May 2006 to Dec 2016. Patients were divided into three groups according to the surgical approach: radical abdominal hysterectomy (RAH), laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH), and robot-assisted radical hysterectomy (RRH).ResultsLearning curves of each type of surgery were obtained using the cumulative sum method. Survival rates were compared using Kaplan–Meier curves. To analyze the learning curve of a single surgeon, 89 patients were selected from the whole population. Learning curves of each group showed two distinct phases. The minimum number of cases required to achieve surgical improvement were 16 in RAH, 13 in LRH, and 21 in RRH. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival did not vary between RAH and minimally invasive surgery (MIS) (p = .828 and p = .757, respectively). However, when stratified by the phases of the learning curves, patients included in the early phase of MIS showed a poorer PFS (p = .014).ConclusionsSurgical proficiency could significantly affect the oncologic outcome in MIS. A prospective study regarding sufficient surgical competence is necessary for elaborate analysis of the feasibility of minimally invasive radical hysterectomy.     

Surgical and oncologic outcomes between laparoscopic and radical abdominal hysterectomy for IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer

ObjectiveTo compare sugrical and survival outcomes between laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) and radical abdominal hysterectomy (RAH).MethodsAll the patients with IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer who performed LRH or RAH in Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center between 1/2016 and 12/2017 were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsThere were no significant differences between LRH and RAH groups except deep stromal invasion (35.2% vs 54.4%, p = 0.000), operating time (232.3 ± 61.9 min vs. 106.7 ± 36.2 min, p = 0.000), blood loss (169.5 ± 96.2 ml vs. 219.6 ± 149.3 ml, p = 0.000), and lymph node counts (21.1 ± 7.1 vs. 23.2 ± 8.7 min, p = 0.012). The LRH group displayed poorer disease-free survival (DFS) (5-year rate, 79.4% vs. 90.0%; p = 0.046) and overall survival (OS) (5-year rate, 74.7% vs. 90.0%; p = 0.026) compared to the RAH group. On multivariate analysis, LRH was an independent risk factor for DFS (hazard ratio, 0.377; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.227–0.625; p = 0.000) and OS (hazard ratio, 0.434; 95% CI, 0.254–0.740; p = 0.003).ConclusionsLRH affected the survival of cervical cancer patients with tumor size >2 cm (p < 0.05). Adjuvant therapy could not improve the prognosis of laparoscopic patients (p < 0.05).     

Vaginal-assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomy: rationale, technique, results

Objective:

Total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (TLRH) makes it difficult to resect adequate vaginal cuff according to tumor size and to avoid tumor spread after opening the vagina. Laparoscopic-assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy (LARVH) is associated with higher risk for urologic complications.

Methods:

The vaginal-assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (VALRH) technique comprises 3 steps: (1) comprehensive laparoscopic staging, (2) creation of a tumor-adapted vaginal cuff, and (3) laparoscopic transsection of parametria. We retrospectively analyzed data of 122 patients who underwent VALRH for early stage cervical cancer (n=110) or stage II endometrial cancer (n=12) between January 2007 and December 2009 at Charité University Berlin.

Results:

All patients underwent VALRH without conversion. Mean operating time was 300 minutes, and mean blood loss was 123cc. On average, 36 lymph nodes were harvested. Intra- and postoperative complication rates were 0% and 13.1%, respectively. Resection was in sound margins in all patients. After median follow-up of 19 months, disease-free survival and overall survival for all 110 cervical cancer patients was 94% and 98%, and for the subgroup of patients (n=90) with tumors ≤pT1b1 N0 V0 L0/1 R0, 97% and 98%, respectively.

Conclusion:

VALRH is a valid alternative to abdominal radical hysterectomy and LARVH in patients with early-stage cervical cancer and endometrial cancer stage II with minimal intraoperative complications and identical oncologic outcomes.     

Colposuspension for urinary stress incontinence in postmenopausal patients

Eighty-seven postmenopausal patients had a colposuspension for urinary stress incontinence. A significant postoperative reduction (p<0.001) of symptoms of frequency, nocturia, urgency and urge incontinence was obtained. The cure rate for urinary incontinence was 77%. Twenty patients were found to be wet postoperatively, 8 due to stress incontinence and 12 due to detrusor instability, 9 of whom had detrusor instability preoperatively.No differences were found pre- and postoperatively in the cystometric and uroflowmetric values or in the urethral pressure profile measurements. The pressure transmission ratios were significantly improved postoperatively.During operation and postoperatively, minor complications occurred in this group of patients. In 5 patients blood transfusion was needed. Urinary tract infection was diagnosed in 21 patients, wound infections in 4 patients and enterocele in 5 patients.Colposuspension for urinary stress incontinence in postmenopausal patients is a safe procedure with a reasonable cure rate indicating that a surgical approach should be adopted in such patients.Editorial Comments: This is an extension of the authors' previously published series in SGO [2] now dealing exclusively with postmenopausal patients. Although they state that their overall cure rate was 77%, in fact the cure rate for stress incontinence was 79/87 or 91%. Adding the patients with detrusor instability gives the lower cure rate of 77%. An important contribution of this article is the documentation of a decrease of symptoms of urgency, frequency and urge incontinence subsequent to a modified Burch colposuspension. In addition they document that the pressure-transmission ratios were less than 100% in all of their failed cases. Further studies are needed in the elderly to document success or failure in this group since we will be faced with an ever increasing elderly population in years to come.