Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To report the long-term clinical outcomes of transurethral resection of Hunner lesions with bladder hydrodistension in patients with Hunner lesion interstitial cystitis (HIC) at a tertiary referral center in Japan. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted to evaluate the treatment outcomes of 104 patients with HIC who underwent initial endoscopic surgery, including transurethral resection of Hunner lesions (ablation was kept to a minimum) and concomitant bladder hydrodistension between 2017 and 2023. Clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared between each follow-up visit and baseline over 12 months using a 7-graded global response assessment (GRA), O'Leary and Sant's symptom and problem indices (OSSI/OSPI), an 11-point pain intensity numerical rating scale, quality of life (QOL) score, and frequency volume chart variables. Patients with GRA scores ≥ +2 (moderately/marked improved) and scores ≤ -1 (slightly/moderately/marked worse) were considered treatment responders and failures, respectively. Postoperative complications were also documented. RESULTS: The mean duration to treatment failure was 30.9 ± 21.0 months. The overall response rates at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months were 78.8%, 80.8%, 76.0%, 69.2%, and 57.7%, respectively. Compared with the baseline, the OSSI/OSPI, pain intensity, QOL score, urinary frequency, and functional bladder capacity improved significantly after 1 month and were maintained over 12 months. One patient required a second surgery for postoperative bleeding and another developed distal urethral stenosis 6 months post-surgery. No other patients developed any postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Transurethral resection of Hunner lesions combined with bladder hydrodistension offers long-term symptom relief without serious adverse events for treatment-naïve patients with HIC.