The risk of urinary incontinence after partial urethral resection in patients with anterior vulvar cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The number of women with vulvar carcinoma located in the anterior fourchette in immediate proximity to the urethral opening has increased. A retrospective analysis was performed in order to evaluate the risk of urinary incontinence after tumor-resection, standard inguinal lymphadenectomy and additional partial urethral resection.


METHODS
Between 2002 and 2007, 19 women with vulvar carcinomas located close to the urethral opening and consequently treated by additional partial urethral resection of up to 1.5 cm, were evaluated for urinary loss postoperatively by standard incontinence questionnaire. All patients complaining about some kind of urinary loss underwent urodynamic measurement. Results were compared with 21 controls (women with anterior vulvar cancer treated without urethral resection).


RESULTS
Five of 19 women (26%) of the study group complained about urinary disturbances and received urodynamic evaluation. Ninety-five percent of the patients (18/19 women) were continent by urodynamic criteria; in one woman the measurement was unreliable. One patient in the control group (1/21 women) complained of an increase of urge symptoms that had been present preoperatively.


CONCLUSIONS
Twenty-six percent of our patients after partial urethral resection reported incontinence symptoms, though this was not always confirmed by urodynamics. We conclude that the risk of urinary stress incontinence after partial urethral resection in anterior vulvar carcinoma is acceptable.
Hampl
Monika
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Duesseldorf, Medical Faculty, Moorenstr 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany. hampl@med.uni-duesseldorf.de
Langkamp
Bettina
B
Lux
Jörg
J
Kueppers
Volkmar
V
Janni
Wolfgang
W
Müller-Mattheis
Volker
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000209:etiology*; D014563:Urodynamics; D014844:Vulva / Q000601:surgery*; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*