Supra-vaginal uterine amputation vs. abdominal hysterectomy: the effects on urinary symptoms with special reference to pollakisuria, nocturia and dysuria.

Post-operative symptoms of hysterectomy have received relatively little attention in the literature. In the present study the first author has personally interviewed and examined 105 abdominal hysterectomy patients and 107 patients with supravaginal uterine amputation pre-operatively and thrice post-operatively. At one year the follow-up percentage was 99.5 (211/212). In the statistical analysis McNemar's test of symmetry and Fisher's exact test were used. Loglinear models were developed where applicable. A number of patients had urinary symptoms pre-operatively: 27.6% of the abdominal hysterectomy and 48.6% of the supra-vaginal amputation patients suffered from pollakisuria; preoperative nocturia and dysuria were present in about 10% of patients in each group. These urinary symptoms disappeared more frequently in patients who underwent supra-vaginal amputation; with regard to pollakisuria the difference is statistically significant. Twelve months post-operatively pollakisuria was present in 10.3% of supra-vaginal amputation and 13.5% of hysterectomy patients. The advantage of supra-vaginal amputation over abdominal hysterectomy with regard to these symptoms may result from the considerably less extensive manipulation of the bladder during supra-vaginal amputation. Possibly the support provided by the remaining stump and the round ligaments fixed to it also help to reduce urinary symptoms in these patients. However, further urodynamic studies are needed.