Objective: :To assess the efficacy and complications of early, intermediate, or late removal of the urinary catheter after vaginal hysterectomy, pelvic floor repair and anterior colporrhaphy.
Materials and Methods: :Seventy-three Women with primary uterine or vaginal prolapse ? stage II according to Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantifications System without stress urinary incontinence and without recurrent urinary tract infections, candidates for vaginal repair surgery were included. A urinary catheter (Foley 16) was inserted at the time of the intervention and it was removed at random in three groups, 24 (27 patients), 48 (23 patients) and 72 hours (23 patients) after surgery. Prophylactic intravenous antibiotics were administered for 72 hours. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was diagnosed by urine culture after surgery and acute urinary retention (AUR) during hospitalization. Percentage frequencies were calculated, and the chi-square test (x2) was used to search for differences.
Results: :UTI was observed in 7.4%, 17.4% and 13% in groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively. No statistically significant association was found between the presence of UTI and urinary catheterization time (x2=1.3 p=0.512). AUR was found in 4.1% of all patients, most of them from group 2.
Conclusion: :Early removal of the urinary catheter in the first 24 hours after vaginal surgery decreased catheterization time, hospital stay and urinary tract infection. Extended catheterization does not offer benefits to patients and prolongs hospital stay unnecessarily.
Corresponding Author: CASTILLO-PINO E.
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