Reduction of Bladder Capacity Under Anesthesia Following Multiple Recurrences and Repeated Surgeries of Hunner Lesions in Patients With Interstitial Cystitis

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of multiple recurrences and repeated surgeries of Hunner lesions on bladder capacity under general anesthesia in patients with interstitial cystitis (IC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of Hunner-type IC (HIC) patients who underwent transurethral fulguration or resection of Hunner lesions combined with hydrodistension by a single surgeon between 2011 and 2020. Recurrence was defined as reappearance of uncontrolled urinary symptoms in association with new Hunner lesions identified by cystoscopy. Recurrent Hunner lesions were then treated by transurethral surgeries. The recurrence-free rate, potential predictive factors of recurrence, and changes in bladder capacity under anesthesia were examined at each surgical procedure. RESULTS: A total of 92 surgeries were performed in 47 HIC patients, 23 (49%) of whom required multiple procedures (range, 1–5 times). The mean recurrence-free time after the first surgery was 21.7 months. The recurrence-free rate was 53% at 24 months, and decreased to 32% at 48 months. There were no significant differences in age, sex, bladder capacity under anesthesia at the first surgery, duration from symptom onset to the first surgery, O’Leary-Sant questionnaire including symptom and problem indexes, visual analogue scale pain score, and the number of comorbidities between the cases with or without recurrence. Bladder capacity under anesthesia was gradually decreased as the number of surgeries was increased, and bladder capacity at the fourth procedure was significantly decreased to 80% of the capacity at the first surgery. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that multiple recurrences and repeated surgeries of Hunner lesions result in a reduction of bladder capacity under anesthesia in HIC patients although no predictive factors for recurrence of Hunner lesions were detected.