Is the Deep Endometriosis or the Surgery the Cause of Postoperative Bladder Dysfunction?

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To assess whether deep endometriosis surgery affects the bladder function.

DESIGN

Prospective multicenter observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

SETTING

Academic research centers.

PATIENTS

Thirty-two patients with diagnosis of deep endometriosis requiring surgery.

INTERVENTIONS

Women were evaluated with urodynamic studies, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Urinary Incontinence Short Form, and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Overactive Bladder Module questionnaires before and 3 months after surgery.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The main outcome measure was the impact of deep endometriosis surgery on urodynamic parameters. All cystomanometric parameters showed an improvement postoperatively: in particular, the first desire to void (120 vs 204 mL; p <.001) and the bladder capacity (358 vs 409 mL; p = .011) increased significantly after surgery. Of the uroflow parameters, the maximal voiding flow improved significantly postoperatively (19 vs 25 mL/s; p = .026). The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Urinary Incontinence Short Form (2.5 vs 0; p = .0005) and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Overactive Bladder Module (4.3 vs 1.2; p <.001) questionnaires showed a significant postoperative improvement too.

CONCLUSION

Our data show that in a selected population of patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis (not requiring bowel or ureteral resection), the bladder function improves after surgery, both during filling and on voiding urodynamic phases. Postoperatively, patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis become aware of bladder filling later, have a higher bladder capacity, and have a higher maximal flow. The postoperative urodynamic results are corroborated by the improved scores on the bladder questionnaires.