Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction after Radical Hysterectomy for Cervical Cancer

Despite effective screening, cervical cancer continues to be a major public health problem among women. Radical hysterectomy represents the cornerstone in the management of localized cervical cancer especially in young women. Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) represents the most common complication after radical hysterectomy with a substantial negative impact on quality of life of survivors. Most patients with cervical cancer treated with radical hysterectomy receive postoperative bladder care at gynaecology departments and urologists are rarely confronted to patients in the post-operative phase. The etiologic factors and the natural history of LUTD following radical hysterectomy are partially elucidated. Furthermore, effective treatment remains elusive.We performed a Pubmed and Medline literature search using the keywords: radical hysterectomy, cervical cancer, and these two terms in combination with urinary dysfunction or bladder dysfunction in order to analyse the evidence on LUTD following radical hysterectomy. Emphasis will be placed on the symptoms as well as their management to prevent upper tract deterioration and to improve quality of life.