Postoperative urinary retention following vaginal mesh procedures for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse.

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess vaginal mesh procedures and patient characteristics that are associated with postoperative urinary retention (PUR) following pelvic reconstructive surgery.

Methods: The charts of 142 patients who underwent transvaginal reconstructive surgery with mesh were included in the analysis. Primary outcome was the incidence of PUR following surgery with mesh. Patients were grouped according to discharge from the hospital with or without a catheter based on a standardized voiding trial.

Results: Forty-eight patients (34%) developed PUR after surgery. Of those, 30 patients (62.5%) had a combined anterior and posterior repair (p = 0.033). Mean preoperative anterior stage prolapse for patients with PUR compared with no PUR was 2.31 vs. 1.80 (p = 0.002). There was a greater association of PUR among patients with concomitant retropubic slings compared with transobturator slings (OR = 3.6, 95% confidence interval = 1.3-9.8).

Conclusions: A higher preoperative anterior stage prolapse, combined anterior and posterior compartment repairs, and retropubic sling procedures appear to be associated with PUR.