Int Urogynecol J (2011) 22:477–483 DOI 10.1007/s00192-010-1304-0 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Postoperative catheterization after anterior colporrhaphy: 2 versus 5 days. A multicentre randomized controlled trial Mirjam Weemhoff & Martine M. L. H. Wassen & Laura Korsten & Jan Serroyen & Paul H. N. M. Kampschöer & Frans J. M. E. Roumen Received: 4 March 2010 / Accepted: 5 October 2010 / Published online: 20 October 2010 # The Author(s) 2010. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Abstract Introduction and hypothesis The aim of this study was to compare the number of temporary catheter replacements and urinary tract infections after indwelling catheterization for 2 versus 5 days following an anterior colporrhaphy. Methods Two hundred forty-six patients were randomly assigned to 2 or 5 days of indwelling catheterization. Outcome measures were temporary catheter replacements because of post-voiding residual >200 mL after removal of the indwelling catheter, urinary tract infections, and hospital stay. All patients were analyzed according to the intention to treat principle. Results Compared to the 5-day protocol group, in the 2-day protocol group more patients needed temporary catheter replacement (9% versus 28%, odds ratio (OR) 4.0, confidence interval (CI) 1.9–8.3, p< 0.01), whereas less patients had a urinary tract infection (37% versus 22%, OR 0.5, CI 0.3–0.9, p= 0.02) and median hospital stay was lower. M. Weemhoff (*) : M. M. L. H. Wassen : L. Korsten Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, P.O.Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands e-mail: m.weemhoff@mumc.nl J. Serroyen Department of Methodology and Statistics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands P. H. N. M. Kampschöer : F. J. M. E. Roumen Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Atrium Medical Centre, Heerlen, The Netherlands Conclusions Removal of an indwelling catheter after 2 versus 5 days following anterior colporrhaphy is associated with more temporary catheter replacements, but less urinary tract infections and a shorter hospital stay. Keywords Cystocele . Anterior colporrhaphy . Indwelling catheterization . Urinary retention . Temporary catheter replacement . Urinary tract infection Introduction A nationwide questionnaire-based survey in 99 hospitals in The Netherlands has shown a mean duration of catheteri- zation of 3.7 days (1–7 days) following an anterior colporrhaphy [1]. Drainage of urine is being performed to reduce the risk of retention by postoperative edema of the bladder. Overfilling of the bladder might have a negative impact on the surgical outcome [2]. Only three studies have been published on the effects of the duration of postoper- ative indwelling catheterization following an anterior colporrhaphy. The first study in 106 women did not find a significant difference in incidence of urinary retention between catheter removal on the first (24%) and third day (31%) postoperatively [3]. It was concluded that the indwelling catheter can be removed on the first day postoperatively. A subsequent underpowered study in 50 patients did not find a difference in incidence of urine retention between the first and third postoperative day either, but showed considerably lower retention percentages in both groups (8%) [4]. In contrast, a randomized controlled trial in The Netherlands in 100 patients showed