Urodynamic Changes in Pelvic Organ Prolapse and the Role of Surgery

Acute Renal Failure Caused by Undiagnosed Pelvic Organ Prolapse in a Postmenopausal Woman: A Diagnosis Not to Be Missed

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common condition mainly affecting postmenopausal women, characterized by the descent of pelvic organs through the vaginal canal. While often asymptomatic, POP can manifest with various symptoms such as a painless bulge or pressure sensation, abdominal pain, urinary complaints, and discomfort during intercourse. Severe cases can lead to urinary tract obstruction, hydronephrosis, and renal dysfunction. This case study presents an elderly female with bilateral severe hydronephrosis and pyelonephritis due to undiagnosed POP. Imaging revealed obstructive uropathy resulting from bilateral ureteric compression caused by cystocele and uterine prolapse. The patient's condition improved with antibiotics and supportive management. A vaginal hysterectomy was performed, which led to the resolution of the urinary tract obstruction. This case emphasizes the importance of considering POP in elderly women with urinary symptoms and the need for proactive screening. It highlights the significance of appropriate management to prevent irreversible renal damage. Different treatment modalities, including surgery and pessaries, are discussed, to emphasize the significance of tailoring treatments to individual patient characteristics.

International Urogynecology Consultation Chapter 1 Committee 5: relationship of pelvic organ prolapse to associated pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms: lower urinary tract, bowel, sexual dysfunction and abdominopelvic pain

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

This article from Chapter 1 of the International Urogynecology Consultation (IUC) on Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) establishes the prevalence of lower urinary tract disorders, bowel symptoms, vulvo-vaginal/lower abdominal/back pain and sexual dysfunction in women with POP.

METHODS

An international group of nine urogynecologists/urologists and one medical student performed a search of the literature using pre-specified search terms in Ovid, MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL from January 2000 to March 2019. Publications were eliminated if not relevant or they did not include clear definitions of POP or the symptoms associated with POP. Definitions of POP needed to include both a physical examination finding using a validated examination technique and the complaint of a bothersome vaginal bulge. Symptoms were categorized into symptom groups for ease of evaluation. The Specialist Unit for Review Evidence (SURE) was used to evaluate for quality of the included articles. The resulting list of articles was used to determine the prevalence of various symptoms in women with POP. Cohort studies were used to evaluate for possible causation of POP as either causing or worsening the symptom category.

RESULTS

The original search yielded over 12,000 references, of which 50 were used. More than 50% of women with POP report lower urinary tract symptoms. Cohort studies suggest that women with POP have more obstructive lower urinary tract symptoms than women without POP. Pain described in various ways is frequently reported in women with POP, with low back pain being the most common pain symptom reported in 45% of women with POP. In cohort studies those with POP had more pain complaints than those without POP. Sexual dysfunction is reported by over half of women with POP and obstructed intercourse in 37-100% of women with POP. Approximately 40% of women have complaints of bowel symptoms. There was no difference in the median prevalence of bowel symptoms in those with and without POP in cohort studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of lower urinary tract disorders, bowel symptoms, vulvo-vaginal/lower abdominal/back pain and sexual dysfunction in women with POP are common but inconsistently reported. There are few data on incidence of associated symptoms with POP, and cohort studies evaluating causality are rare or inconsistent. Obstructive voiding, lower abdominal and pelvic pain, and sexual dysfunction are most frequently associated with POP.

Procidentia as a Cause of Obstructive Uropathy and Acute Kidney Injury

Pelvic organ prolapse can affect urinary tract function by reducing flow rates and increasing post void residual urine volumes secondary to outlet obstruction. If the diagnosis is missed or left untreated, pelvic organ prolapse can lead to acute renal injury, chronic renal failure or even end stage renal disease. Herein, we present a case of a patient who presented to Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA with urinary retention and acute kidney injury secondary to complete uterine prolapse, also referred to as procidentia.