EVALUATION OF URODYNAMIC PARAMETERS FOLLOWING BURCH COLPOSUSPENSION

Burch colposuspension is a very popular operation for the correction o f genuine stress incontinence, due to its very good long-term results. The effect of the operation on the urodynamic parameters at the level of the bladder neck evaluated in this study, and correlated with clin ical outcome. A total of 29 female patients with urinary stress incont inence who underwent a Burch colposuspension were clinically and urody namically studied pre- and postoperatively. The urodynamic parameters chosen pre- and post-operatively were: maximum flow rate, residual uri ne, first sensation, bladder capacity, maximum detrusor pressure, detr usor pressure at maximum flow, functional urethral length and maximum closure pressure. Complete cure was obtained in 76% of the patients an d improvement in 14%, the overall success rate being 90% for a mean fo llow-up of 18.4 months (range 8-27). Comparison of the pre- and postop erative urodynamic data revealed that the maximum urine flow rate, fun ctional urethral length, maximum urethral closure pressure and residua l urine were changed significantly after the operation. There were no statistical differences in the other parameters. All the urodynamic re sults that improved, however, only arrived at the lower limits of the values accepted as standard for normal individuals. This fact, however , did not prevent a good clinical result.