ABSTRACT
Introduction Intraoperative injury to the urinary tract during gynecological surgery is a well-known complication and can involve the ureter, bladder, or urethra. If detected at the time of surgery, repair can be performed without significant consequence to postoperative recovery or urinary tract function. If undiagnosed, significant consequences can occur with the development of urinary fistulae and possible loss of kidney function. Secondary repair usually involves multiple outpatient visits and surgery, which results in loss of quality of life and possible long-term disability and medicolegal sequelae. At present, only 1 in 10 ureteric injuries and 1 in 2 bladder injuries are detected intraoperatively.1 A recent Canadian study2 showed the risk of litigation was increased 91-fold if a woman received a urinary tract injury compared with other complications during hysterectomy and tubo-ovarian surgery.
