Introduction and hypothesis: To investigate the outcome of the surgical educational course setting in patients undergoing urinary incontinence (UI)/pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair.
Methods: A case-control study of patients who underwent surgery for UI and/or POP during educational post-graduate courses (group A) or during routine hospital work (control--group B). The primary outcome measures were changes in the incontinence rate, presence/absence of POP, and complications. For 2 x 2 tables, chi (2) test was used. Multivariate logistic regression models were developed.
Results: One hundred eighty-six patients belonged to group A and 158 to group B; median follow-up was 46.7 months. Failure, complication, and re-operation rates for UI repair were not significantly different in the two groups: p = 0.162, p = 0.110, p = 0.188, respectively. The logistic regression analysis for POP repair showed that group A has higher risk for failure (OR = 2.71; 95% CI: 1.31-5.61) and higher complication rate (OR = 2.38; 95% CI: 1.31-4.32).
Conclusion: Patients who underwent surgery during educational course developed a poorer outcome after POP repair and higher complication rate.