Risk of urge and stress urinary incontinence at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of urinary symptoms at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy. Study design One hundred seventeen patients who had a vaginal hysterectomy for menorrhagia from January 1991 to December 2001 answered a self-report questionnaire about de novo urinary symptoms. The control group was a population of 116 patients who had a conservative treatment for dysfunctional uterine bleeding by endometrial thermocoagulation from January 1994 to December 2001. Results Patient characteristics (mean age, mean parity, menopausal status, smoking status, drink habits) were similar in the 2 groups. Mean follow-up was 4.6±2.2 years (range, 1.5-11 years) after vaginal hysterectomy and 4±1.8 years (range, 1.5-7 years) after conservative treatment. The prevalence of urinary symptoms, which included urge and stress incontinence, was statistically similar in the 2 groups. Conclusion This study reveals no risk of urge or stress urinary incontinence at long-term follow-up after vaginal hysterectomy, compared with conservative treatment