Early removal of indwelling urinary catheter after radical surgery for early‐stage cervical cancer—A cohort study

Objective To evaluate the difference between early and delayed removal of indwelling urinary catheter after radical hysterectomy (RH) or radical trachelectomy (RT). Methods An ambispective study was conducted in early‐stage cervical cancer patients who underwent RH or RT. Delayed indwelling urinary catheter removal occurred on a postoperative day (POD) 7 in the retrospective group (January 2012‐November 2013), and early removal occurred on POD 1 in the prospective group (May 2014‐June 2017). The postvoid residual (PVR) test was performed after indwelling catheter removal in both groups. Results Our sample included 47 patients in the delayed group and 48 in the early one. There was no difference in age, body mass index, tumor size, histology, stage, surgical approach, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. Indwelling urinary catheter reinsertion was needed in 16 (34%) patients in the delayed group and 12 (25%) in the early group (P = .37), with no statistical difference between the median PVR volumes −82.5 and 45 mL (P = .06), respectively. Seven (14.9%) patients in the delayed group presented with 30‐day urinary tract infection vs two (4.2%) in the early group (P = .09). Conclusions Early indwelling urinary catheter removal, in regard to the rate of catheter reinsertion and PVR volume, does not differ from delayed removal.