Active versus Passive Voiding Protocols after Same-day Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy

Abstract

Study objective: To determine the proportion of patients discharged with a urinary catheter after a same-day benign gynecologic minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH) according to active vs passive voiding protocols. The secondary objectives included assessing postanesthesia care unit (PACU) duration and postoperative urinary retention (POUR) rate ≤2 weeks of discharge.

Design: Retrospective, observational cohort study.

Setting: Large integrated healthcare system serving approximately 40% of the Northern California population.

Patients: Patients aged 18 years or older undergoing same-day MIH without urogynecology procedures from 2015 to 2018 were categorized into active or passive voiding trial groups. Active voiding trials were defined as patients arriving in the PACU with a catheter, retrograde filling of the bladder with 300 mL saline then allowing for voiding ≥50% within 30 minutes. If the patients were unable to void this volume, they were discharged with a catheter to be removed within 24 hours. A passive voiding trial involved filling or not filling the bladder before PACU arrival without a catheter, then allowing for voiding or performing a straight catheterization if the patients were unable to void.

Interventions: Retrospective cohort study.

Measurements and main results: A total of 1644 (83.2%) patients underwent passive voiding trials, and 333 (16.8%) underwent active voiding trials. The proportion of patients discharged with a catheter was lower in the passive voiding group than in the active voiding group (5.4% vs 10.5%; p = .001). The passive group had a shorter mean PACU time than the active group (218 ± 86 vs 240 ± 93 minutes; p <.001). The crude POUR rates for the passive and active voiding groups were 1.8% and 3.0%, respectively (p = .16).

Conclusion: Within an integrated healthcare system, patients who underwent passive voiding trials compared with those who underwent active voiding trials were discharged home from the PACU after a shorter duration. In addition, a larger proportion of the patients who underwent passive voiding trials were discharged home without a urinary catheter. There were no differences in the POUR rates. Our findings suggest that passive voiding trials can be safely used after a benign MIH to reduce hospital duration, optimize healthcare resources, and improve patient experience.

Keywords: Hysterectomy; Laparoscopy; Postoperative urinary retention; Urinary catheter; Voiding trial.