Late urinary system complications following radical hysterectomy for carcinoma of the cervix

Urinary system complications which are incompatible with life are common complications of untreated carcinoma of the cervix as recently emphasized by necropsy studies of Henriksen.1 This study1 and others2, 3, 12 have pointed out the urological complications and the importance of urological follow-up studies in those patients with carcinoma of the cervix treated by irradiation therapy. With the revival of the surgical approach to the problem of cervical malignancy, urinary system complications remain one of the hazards of treatment with resultant urinary fistulas and their sequelae as reported by Meigs4 and Thomas and associates.5 This study is a report of late urological complications in a small group of patients with carcinoma of the cervix treated by radical operation. It is the purpose of this study to present the various types of postoperative urinary system complications as seen in our clinic.