Incidence and risk factors of urinary retention after vaginal hysterectomy for pelvic organ prolapse

Objectives: To determine the incidence and risk factors of urinary retention after vaginal hysterectomy for pelvic organ prolapse. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective review of 279 women who underwent vaginal hysterectomy for pelvic organ prolapse between 2005 and 2013 at Siriraj Hospital. Baseline characteristics, types and degrees of prolapse, concomitant surgical procedures, anesthetic method, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and duration of postoperative indwelling catheter were recorded. Postoperative urinary retention was defined as a post-void residual urine 150 ml or more, measured by intermittent catheterization. The incidence and risk factors were identified. Results: The incidence of postoperative urinary retention was 10.0%. Compared to those without urinary retention, patients with urinary retention were significantly more likely to have anterior colporrhaphy (78.6% vs 57.4%; odds ratio 2.725; 95% confidence interval 1.022-8.473; p = 0.03). Age, parity, body mass index, type of prolapse, anesthetic method, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and duration of postoperative indwelling catheter were comparable between the groups. Conclusion: Incidence of urinary retention after vaginal hysterectomy was 10.0%. Anterior colporrhaphy was the only factor associated with postoperative urinary retention.