Implementation of a Clinical Protocol to Reduce Urinary Tract Infections Among Women With Urinary Retention After Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery: A Prospective Quality Improvement Study.

OBJECTIVE: We implemented and assessed a clinical practice quality improvement protocol aimed at decreasing postoperative urinary tract infections (UTIs) among patients with transurethral catheters. METHODS: This was a quality improvement study with pre- and post-intervention comparisons. Patients requiring postoperative transurethral catheters underwent 3 interventions: (1) shortening the time from surgery to repeat voiding trials to 3-5 days for pelvic reconstructive surgeries and to 1-3 days for mid-urethral slings, (2) avoiding routine urine cultures at the time of voiding trials, and (3) recommending 2 L of water intake daily until 3 days after the voiding trial. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients receiving antibiotics for UTIs within 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes included rates of failing office voiding trials, UTI symptoms/cultures, adherence to hydration, and health care resource utilization. RESULTS: We included 31 patients before and 40 patients after the intervention. The 2 cohorts had similar demographic and clinical characteristics. Among patients requiring catheterization, rates of antibiotic treatment for UTIs decreased from 65% to 40% after the intervention (P = 0.04). UTI symptoms and urine cultures sent for analysis decreased significantly (P = 0.04 and P = 0.005, respectively). There was high adherence (84%) to increased hydration. Rates of failing office voiding trials remained similar. The number of phone calls decreased by 43% (P = 0.003), and there was no increase in office or emergency department visits. Multivariate regression showed that UTIs were 2.04 times more likely before than after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Our quality improvement intervention was practical to implement and effective in reducing postoperative UTIs among patients with urinary catheters.

Predictors of delayed postoperative urinary retention after female pelvic reconstructive surgery.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Risk factors can be used to determine what patients will develop delayed postoperative urinary retention after female pelvic reconstructive surgery. METHODS: A case-control study was performed including all female pelvic reconstructive surgeries necessitating a voiding trial. All patients passed their previous voiding trial. Cases had an acute encounter for urinary retention. Controls did not have acute postoperative urinary retention. Cases and controls were stratified based on procedure. Demographics, medical/surgical histories, voiding symptoms, urodynamic testing, and intraoperative data were collected. Cases were matched to controls in a 1:3 ratio. Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests were used for univariate analyses; logistic regression was used to determine predictors of delayed postoperative urinary retention (DPOUR). RESULTS: A total of 1219 patients underwent pelvic reconstructive surgery that met eligibility; 51 cases of DPOUR (4.3%) were identified and matched with 153 controls without postoperative urinary retention. Of the procedures performed, 41.2% had prolapse surgery, 10.3% had incontinence surgery, and 48.5% had both prolapse and incontinence surgery. There were no differences between cases and controls in age, race, prior surgery, medical comorbidities, prolapse stage ≥ 3, voiding symptoms, and surgical characteristics. Cases had a lower BMI than controls (p < 0.001). There was no difference in preoperative urodynamic variables. Cases had lower percent voided volume on their last voiding trial than controls (90.2% ± 28.6% vs. 110.7% ± 39.5%, respectively; p = 0.001); however, clinically we consider a voided volume of two-thirds or greater of the instilled volume to be a normal result. CONCLUSIONS: DPOUR is an uncommon postoperative event. Demographic and clinical factors and urodynamic findings were unable to predict DPOUR. Percent voided volume on voiding trial was greater in controls.