Dilemmas in diagnosing pelvic pain: multiple pelvic surgeries common in women with interstitial cystitis

We determined the prevalence of pelvic surgeries in women with interstitial cystitis (IC) compared to community-based controls through responses to a survey from 215 women with IC and 823 controls. Women with IC had a statistically higher prevalence of hysterectomies (cases = 42.3%, controls = 21.4%), bladder suspensions (cases = 21.9%, controls = 5.7), pelvic or genital surgeries other than cystoscopy (cases = 26.5%, controls = 16.2%), and laparoscopic pelvic surgeries (cases = 22.8%, controls = 8.3%). Women with IC more commonly had been diagnosed with endometriosis (cases = 25.6%, controls = 9.8%) and fibroids (cases = 24.2%, controls = 16.3%). Of women with IC who had hysterectomies, 68% of the hysterectomies were done before their diagnosis of IC, and only 21% were done after their IC diagnosis. The diagnosis of IC occurred 1–5 years after hysterectomy in most cases. Women with IC have significantly more pelvic surgeries than controls. The majority of these surgeries were done before the diagnosis of IC and may be performed for pain related to undiagnosed IC.