Urinary Retention After Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy With Immediate Foley Catheter Removal Versus Backfill Void Trial

Acute urinary retention is a complication of hysterectomies that can result in bladder over-distension and long term bladder dysfunction. The incidence of acute urinary retention after total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) has been reported to be anywhere between 4% and 34%. Studies have varied in the method of post-operative bladder challenge and the modality of hysterectomy included. Moreover, most of the published studies are retrospective chart reviews or prospective observational studies, with a lack of randomized controlled trials. Risk factors for urinary retention include type of anesthesia used, how the hysterectomy is performed, use of post-operative narcotics, pre-operative urinary retention, and possibly aggressive bladder dissection. With the increased trend towards same-day discharge following TLH, urinary retention may cause unnecessary patient distress and a worsened post-operative course. Standardization of post-hysterectomy bladder challenge and identification of risk factors for urinary retention may aid in preventing urinary retention or acute bladder dysfunction. The primary objective is to compare the rate of void trial failure after TLH with the backfill technique versus the autofill technique.

This will be a randomized control trial. Patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) for benign conditions will be invited and consented to participate in the study prior to the day of their surgery. Each patient will be contacted by one of the study investigators and presented with the study including the risks, benefits, and follow up requirements. She will be given the option to participate and if agrees, she will sign a consent form. All enrolled participants will have a post-void residual (PVR) checked and recorded in the clinic using the bladder scanner that is available to us. The enrolled participants will also be asked to complete the Patient Perception of Bladder Condition (PPBC) and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-Short Form (IIQ-7) and the completed forms will be collected by the research team (see attached "Preoperative participant questionnaire").9,10 Each consented participant will be randomized to receive a post-operative backfill void trial or an autofill void trial on the day of her surgery. The participant will not be told of her randomization group pre-operatively; however, the surgical team will be aware of the randomization.

On the surgical day, all enrolled participants will undergo standard registration and preoperative preparation by the staff pre-operative nurse, including placement of intravenous access line and administration of standard preoperative medications. Preoperative medications (unless contraindicated due to allergy or other medication interaction) include single dose prophylactic antibiotics given prior to surgical incision, Tylenol 1,000 mg PO, Dexamethasone 10 mg IV (unless the participant has diabetes), Celebrex 200 mg PO (unless patient has a sulfa allergy, is ≥ 65 years old, weighs ≥ 50 kg, or has a CCl \>50ml/min), Ondansetron 4 mg IV, and Gabapentin 600 mg PO (300 mg PO if participant is ≥ 65 years old) given in the preoperative area.11,12 Participants with a preoperative Caprini score of 5 or greater will also receive Heparin 5000 units subcutaneously for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis.13 The participant will be taken to the operating room. Induction, intubation, and anesthesia will be administered according to standard practice by a dedicated group of anesthesia providers. Prior to surgical incision, preoperative prophylactic antibiotics will be administered. The participant will be positioned in the dorsal lithotomy position with the lower extremities in the Allen stirrups bilaterally and the bilateral upper extremities in a tucked position. Surgical sterile preparation and draping will be performed per usual technique. Vaginal antiseptic preparation will be performed with 10% Povidone-Iodine solution. A Foley catheter will be placed prior to the start of the surgical procedure. The hysterectomy will then proceed in the usual manner. After the specimen is removed from the pelvis and the vaginal cuff is closed, a cystoscopy may be performed at the discretion of each surgeon. At this time, the randomization envelope will be opened. Participants who randomize to the backfill void trial will remain with a Foley catheter in place or will have the Foley catheter replaced, in the case that a cystoscopy is performed. Patients who randomize to the autofill void trial will be given a 500 cc bolus of crystalloid by the anesthesia team prior to leaving the operating room. All skin incisions will be closed in a subcuticular fashion and sealed with skin adhesive.

The participant will emerge from anesthesia under routine monitoring and will be transferred to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) when meeting appropriate criteria per anesthesia discretion. A staff PACU nurse will care for the participant in the PACU administer narcotic medications as necessary and/or per participant request. Once the participants are awake and meeting criteria for discharge, the patients in the backfill group will undergo a void trial by a PACU nurse or by a doctor if the nurse is unavailable. About 300 mL of fluid will be instilled into the bladder and the Foley will then be removed. The participant will be given up to 1 hour to urinate and the amount urinated will be recorded using a commode specimen collection measurer. The PVR will be measured using a bladder scanner. If the PVR is greater than 100 mL or if the patient is unable to void within the hour, the void trial will be considered "failed" and a Foley catheter will be replaced.

The participants in the autofill void trial group will be allowed to urinate at any time within the first 3 hours after surgery. The amount urinated will be recorded using a commode specimen collection measurer. The PVR will be measured using a bladder scanner. If the PVR is greater than 100 mL, the void trial will be considered "failed" and a Foley catheter will be replaced. We anticipate that most of these patients will void spontaneously within 2 hours of arrival to the PACU. At two hours post-operatively, any patient who cannot void or does not have the urge to void will have a bladder scan. If the patient has more than 300 cc in the bladder, she will be allowed 1 more hour to void. If she cannot, a Foley catheter will be placed and she will be considered to have failed the void trial. If the patient has less than 300 cc in the bladder, another 500 cc of crystalloid bolus will be given and we will await void for another hour. At 3 hours post-operatively, these patients will undergo another bladder scan. Those with greater than 300 cc of urine in the bladder will receive a Foley catheter. Those with less than 300 cc of urine in the bladder will have a backfill void trial by placing the remaining amount of fluid into the bladder for a total volume of 300 cc. The rest of the void trial will be completed as per normal backfill void trial protocol.

The participants who have a replaced Foley catheter will receive education regarding usage of a leg bag and will be discharged home to return to the office the following business day where a repeat void trial will be performed using the backfill method as previously outlined. If participants are unable to be discharged home, they will be admitted overnight in the hospital with documented rationale. A backfill void trial will then be performed the following day. If participants fail the 2nd void trial, a Foley catheter will be replaced and will remain in place for 1 week, at which time a backfill void trial will be repeated once again in the office. If this void trial is failed as well, participants will be educated about and asked to perform self-catheterization at home and will follow up with Urogynecology.

All participants will be discharged home with uniform medication prescriptions and instructions for usage. The medications will include Ondansetron 4mg PO every 8 hours as needed for nausea/vomiting (quantity 12), Colace 100mg PO twice daily (quantity 60), scheduled Ibuprofen 600mg PO every 6 hours (quantity 30), scheduled Acetaminophen 650mg PO every 6 hours (quantity 30), and Oxycodone 5mg PO every 4 hours as needed for breakthrough pain (quantity 30). These prescriptions are based on recent anesthesia practice guidelines.14,15

At the post-operative visit 10-14 days after the surgery, the participants will be evaluated and examined in the office. They will be asked to complete a questionnaire which includes the IIQ-7, the PPBC, and a void trial satisfaction question (see attached "post-operative participant questionnaire"). Participants will also be asked if they obtained a Foley catheter outside of the hospital at any urgent care centers, other doctors' offices, or emergency rooms. Additionally, participants will be asked if they have any urinary problems including dysuria, hematuria, frequency, hesitancy, urgency, or incomplete emptying. If any urinary complaints exist, participants will be asked to provide a urine sample for testing by urinalysis and urine culture. Participants will be treated per physician preference. After treatment, participation in the study will be considered completed.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Females at least 18 years of age
* Understand and voluntarily sign an informed consent form
* English-speaking (able to read and understand English)
* Undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indication

Exclusion Criteria:

* Undergoing concomitant procedures in addition to hysterectomy which may cause urinary dysfunction
* Undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopy or laparotomy
* Known history of pre-operative urinary incontinence or retention
* History of prior bladder or prolapse surgery
* Neurologic or spinal cord injury affecting bladder function
* Pregnant women
* Evidence of gynecologic malignancy
* Currently taking anticholinergic medications