Long-term effects on bladder function following radical hysterectomy with and without postoperative radiation.

Sixty-one patients with Stage IB cervical carcinoma treated initially by Type III radical hysterectomy underwent water cystometry 6 or more months after surgery. Adjunctive pelvic radiation in 10 patients was associated with significantly more contracted (P less than 0.001) and unstable (P less than 0.01) bladders than surgery alone. The necessity for bladder drainage 30 or more days after surgery alone in 17 patients was associated with significantly worse (P less than 0.05) long-term post-void residual and total bladder capacity as well as volume for first urge to void compared to 34 patients treated only with surgery who required short-term drainage. Management of bladder drainage following radical hysterectomy is discussed.