1993 Volume 84 Issue 3 Pages 535-540
Bladder dysfunction after radical hysterectomy and/or radiotherapy for uterine cancer is a serious problem. Its pathogenesis has not been well elucidated. Urodynamic and clinical evaluations were performed in 53 patients; 24 of them underwent radical hysterectomy and postoperative radiotherapy (RH+RT), 13 had radical hysterectomy alone (RH), 7 had modified radical hysterectomy (mRH), 9 had radiotherapy alone (RT). Nine preoperative patients without micturition disturbance were examined, serving as controls. Patients with more than 50ml of residual urine were only 3 in RH+RT, 2 in RH and 1 in RT. Bladder volumes at maximum desire to void were significantly lower in RT than in controls. Intravesical pressures at maximum desire to void were significantly higher in RH+RT and RH than in controls, but there were no significant differences between mRH or RT and controls. Detrusor compliances significantly decreased after radical hysterectomy and/or radiotherapy. Maximum urethral closure pressures significantly decreased after radical hysterectomy with or without radiotherapy. In RH+RT, 18 patients (75%) of them mainly complained of urinary incontinence. Their functional profile lengths were significantly shorter than in controls. We conclude that the pelvic plexus injury by radical hysterectomy compromise both urethral closure function and bladder compliance.
