A comparison of urinary complications following total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy and laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy to open abdominal surgery

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to compare total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (TLRH) and laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy (LPS) to total abdominal radical hysterectomy (TARH) and pelvic lymphadenectomy (LPT) in terms of urinary tract lesions and postoperative urinary retention. Methods Starting in 2004, we treated all early stage cervical cancer patients with TLRH and LPS. The control group for this analysis was a historical cohort of patients treated with TARH + LPT. Within the TLRH + LPS group, we assessed whether the width of parametrial tissue removed was a risk factor for urinary tract injuries or postoperative urinary retention. Results Fifty women were included in the TLRH + LPS group and forty-eight were included in the TARH + LPT group. There were no conversions from laparoscopy to laparotomy. There was no statistically significant difference in intraoperative urinary complications between the groups. Four (8%) intraoperative urinary tract injuries in the LPS (3 cystotomies and 1 ureteral lesions all repaired laparoscopically) and 2 (4.2%) in the LPT group (2 cystotomies) occurred ( p = 0.68). Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference in postoperative urinary complications between groups. Urinary postoperative complications were: 1 (2%) ureterovaginal and 1 vesicovaginal fistulas, 1 delayed ureteric fistula in LPS group vs. 0 in LPT group ( p = 0.24). Urinary retention was complained by 7 (14%) and 7 (14.6%) patients in LPS and LPT groups respectively ( p = 1.00). The average width of parametrial tissue removed in the LPS group was 32.2 + 14.0 mm in patients with vs. 39.5 + 13.6 mm in patients without urinary complications ( p = 0.11). Conclusions A laparoscopic approach is comparable to the laparotomy in terms of urinary lesions and postoperative retention. The width of parametrium removed does not affect the risk of urinary lesions or postoperative retention.