The Effects of Abdominal Hysterectomy on Bladder Neck and Urinary Incontinence

• Published in: Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology Vol. 39; no. 2; pp. 239 - 242
• Main Authors: Demirci MD, Fuat, Ozden MD, Selcuk, Alpay MD, Zeynep, Demirci MD, Elif Tozkir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-05-1999
• Subjects: Adult; Female; Humans; Hysterectomy; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Urinary Bladder - pathology; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - etiology; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - pathology; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - physiopathology; Urodynamics
• ISSN: 0004-8666; 1479-828X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1479-828X.1999.tb03381.x

Summary
We assessed the bladder neck (BN) by perineal ultrasonography of 39 patients before and 1 year after hysterectomy, and we compared them with 30 control cases in terms of stress urinary incontinence. We evaluated the BN position and mobility in the downwards and backwards directions. The bladder neck was found to be significantly lower at rest, in the downwards direction, in the postoperative period. The stress position of the BN was not significantly different. Its downwards mobility decreased, but not significantly. There was no significant difference in the location of the BN with respect to the pubis, at rest and during stress, in the backwards direction, between the preoperative and postoperative periods. Backwards mobility of the BN decreased significantly following hysterectomy. Stress incontinence was not significantly different between the study group and the control group after one year. We concluded that hysterectomy did not weaken urethral support and did not increase the rate of stress incontinence.