Prevalence of Post-Micturition Incontinence before and after Anterior Urethroplasty

Abstract

Purpose: In this study we aimed to define the prevalence of preoperative and postoperative post-micturition incontinence or post-void dribbling after anterior urethroplasty for urethral stricture disease. We also sought to determine risk factors for its presence.

Materials and methods: We retrospectively reviewed a prospectively maintained, multi-institutional urethral stricture database to evaluate post-micturition incontinence using a single question from a validated questionnaire, "How often have you had a slight wetting of your pants a few minutes after you had finished urinating and had dressed yourself?" Possible answers were never-0 to all the time-3. The presence of post-micturition incontinence was defined as any answer greater than 0. Comparisons were made to stricture type and location, repair type and patient medical comorbidities.

Results: Preoperative and postoperative post-micturition incontinence questionnaires were completed by 614 and 331 patients, respectively. Patients without complete data available were excluded from study. Preoperative post-micturition incontinence was present in 73% of patients, of whom 44% stated that this symptom was present most of the time. Overall postoperative post-micturition incontinence was present in 40% of patients and again it was not predicted by stricture location or urethroplasty type. Of the 331 patients with followup questionnaires 60% reported improvement, 32% reported no change and 8% reported worsening symptoms. The overall rate of de novo post-micturition incontinence was low at 6.3%.

Conclusions: The prevalence of preoperative post-micturition incontinence is high and likely under reported. In most patients post-micturition incontinence improves after urethroplasty and the prevalence of de novo post-micturition incontinence is low. The presence of post-micturition incontinence was not predicted by stricture length or location, or urethroplasty repair type.

Keywords: lower urinary tract symptoms; patient reported outcome measures; reconstructive surgical procedures; urethral stricture; urinary incontinence.