Tamsulosin and Time to Spontaneous Void after Hysterectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate whether a single preoperative dose of tamsulosin reduces the time to postoperative void and time to discharge in patients who are undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy.METHODS:This single-center, block-randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind superiority trial evaluated the effect of 0.4 mg tamsulosin compared with placebo on the time to void after hysterectomy. Patients who underwent outpatient minimally invasive hysterectomy were randomized to a single dose of tamsulosin or placebo 1 hour before surgery. All participants underwent a standardized backfill void trial to eliminate discrepancies in bladder volume that would otherwise affect the time to void. For our primary aim, we planned to enroll 150 participants to show a 30-minute reduction in the time to postoperative void (80% power, α<0.05). The secondary aim was to compare the time to discharge from the postanesthesia care unit.RESULTS:From June 2021 through January 2023, 344 patients were screened, and 150 were included in the final data analysis: 77 in the tamsulosin group and 73 in the placebo group. The time to spontaneous void was not different between the tamsulosin and placebo groups (106 minutes vs 100 minutes, P=.5). In addition, there was no statistical difference in time to discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (144 minutes vs 156 minutes, P=.4). Demographics and surgical details were not different between each group.CONCLUSION:A single dose of tamsulosin preoperatively does not lead to a decrease in postoperative time to void or time to discharge in patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy for benign conditions.