title: Experience with the management of urethral diverticulum in 63 women.
abstract: The presentation and management are reviewed of 63 women with urethral diverticulum seen at a single institution in 10 years. Of the women 36 (61.9%) had urinary incontinence as a presenting symptom and 20 (31.7%) had incontinence as the only presenting complaint. Diverticula were suspected in 57 cases (90.5%) based on the presence of a periurethral mass during pelvic examination. Investigations included voiding cystourethrogram, excretory urogram, urodynamic studies and recently transvaginal ultrasound. Voiding cystourethrography adequately demonstrated the diverticulum in 60 of the 63 women (95.2%). Urodynamic studies performed in 58 women revealed abnormal findings in 36 (62%), including genuine stress urinary incontinence in 28 (48.3%). The location/number/size/configuration, communication, continence classification was used to define the characteristics of the diverticula. Seven women either refused operation or had small asymptomatic diverticula not requiring treatment. Transvaginal diverticulectomy was performed using a 3-layer closure in 56 women. Concomitant bladder neck suspension was performed in 27 women with documented stress urinary incontinence and/or urethral hypermobility. With a mean followup of 70 months (range 6 to 136) 48 women (85.7%) were completely relieved of the presenting complaint. Complications of diverticulectomy included 2 small distal recurrent diverticula, 1 urethrovaginal fistula and 6 transient early urinary tract infections. None of the women had urethral stricture or recurrent urinary tract infection. Six women (22.2%) who underwent diverticulectomy and bladder neck suspension, and 3 (10.3%) treated with diverticulectomy alone had minimal urinary incontinence requiring less than 2 pads a day.
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente Medical Center and Urodynamics Laboratory, University of California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ganabathi
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Zimmern
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dmochowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D014522:Urethral Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology; D014563:Urodynamics