The clinical characteristics of uterine tumor-related bladder outlet obstruction.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical characteristics of bladder outlet obstruction caused by uterine tumors.

METHODS

We collected and analyzed data for eight patients who visited our urologic clinic due to voiding difficulty or acute urinary retention in the early morning and whose final, corroborated diagnoses were uterine tumors. Another eight patients with uterine tumor but without voiding symptoms were included as the controls.

RESULTS

In group 1, six patients experienced acute early-morning urinary retention and two patients experienced severe early-morning voiding difficulty. This voiding difficulty lessened significantly during the day. All patients in group 1 received urodynamic studies which indicated a high detrusor voiding pressure (median, 28.5 cmH(2)O). The uroflowmetry test performed during the day showed a good maximal flow rate (median, 27 ml/s). Seven patients in group 1 who underwent surgery no longer had early-morning emptying symptoms. All tumors were located in the posterior uterine wall, in contrast to the control group whose tumors were located in fundus or anterior wall.

CONCLUSIONS

Early-morning urinary retention or voiding difficulty can be considered as an important symptom of a uterine tumor obstructing the bladder outlet.