Influence of pelvic floor disorders on sexuality in women

OBJECTIVE

To determine the association between different pelvic floor disorders and the presence of sexual dysfunction in women.

METHOD

An observational study of non-pregnant women was carried out in Spain in 2021 and 2022. To assess the presence of pelvic floor problems, the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) was used, consisting of the subscales Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory-6 (POPDI-6; prolapse symptoms), Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventory (CRADI-8; colorectal symptoms), and Urinary Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6; urinary symptoms). The validated tool, Female Sexual Function (FSF), was used to evaluate female sexual function.

RESULTS

In total, 1008 women participated. Of these, 288 (28.6%) had some type of sexual dysfunction. Regarding symptoms, 52 (5.2%) stated that they do not reach orgasm and 172 (17.1%) said they had never or occasionally felt sexual desire in the last month. Women with sexual dysfunctions had higher mean scores on the POPDI-6, CRADI-8, and UDI-6 subscales than those who did not have sexual dysfunction (P ≤ 0.005). Risk factors identified included being postmenopausal, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2.98 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.12-4.18), and a greater impact of the symptoms of pelvic floor problems as assessed by the PFDI-20 scale, in such a way that for each point increase the probability of sexual dysfunction increases with an aOR of 1.008 (95% CI 1.005-1.011).

CONCLUSION

Women with pelvic floor disorders and postmenopausal women present sexual dysfunction more frequently.

Diagnostic Value of Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) of the Pelvic Floor in Genital Prolapses

Pelvic organ prolapse is a chronic disease resulting from a weakening of the musculoskeletal apparatus of the pelvic organs. For the diagnosis of this pathology, it is insufficient to conduct only a clinical examination. An effective diagnostic tool is the method of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvic floor, which allows a comprehensive assessment of the anatomical and functional characteristics of the walls of the pelvis and pelvic organs. The aim of the study was to analyze the literature data on the possibilities and limitations of using dynamic MRI in pelvic organ prolapse. The widespread use of the dynamic MRI method is due to the high quality of the resulting image, good reproducibility, and the maximum ability to display the characteristics of the pelvic floor. Dynamic MRI of the small pelvis allows a comprehensive assessment of the anatomical and functional features of the pelvis, excluding the effect of ionizing radiation on the body. The method is characterized by good visualization with high resolution and excellent soft tissue contrast. The method allows for assessing the state of the evacuation function of visualized structures in dynamics. Simultaneous imaging of all three parts of the pelvic floor using dynamic MRI makes it possible to assess multicompartment disorders. The anatomical characteristics of the state of the pelvic organs in the norm and in the event of prolapse are considered. The technique for performing the method and the procedure for analyzing the resulting images are described. The possibilities of diagnosing a multicomponent lesion are considered, while it is noted that dynamic MRI of the pelvic organs provides visualization and functional analysis of all three parts of the pelvis and often allows the choice and correction of tactics for the surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. It is noted that dynamic MRI is characterized by a high resolution of the obtained images, and the advantage of the method is the ability to detect functional changes accompanying the pathology of the pelvic floor.

Complications of Pessaries Amenable to Surgical Correction: Two Case Reports and a Systematic Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Forty percent of women will experience prolapse in their lifetime. Vaginal pessaries are considered the first line of treatment in selected patients. Major complications of vaginal pessaries rarely occur.

METHODS

PubMed and Embase were searched from 1961 to 2022 for major complications of vaginal pessaries using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and free-text terms. The keywords were pessary or pessaries and: vaginal discharge, incontinence, entrapment, urinary infections, fistula, complications, and vaginal infection. The exclusion criteria were other languages than English, pregnancy, complications without a prior history of pessary placement, pessaries unregistered for clinical practice (herbal pessaries), or male patients. The extracted data included symptoms, findings upon examination, infection, type of complication, extragenital symptoms, and treatment.

RESULTS

We identified 1874 abstracts and full text articles; 54 were assessed for eligibility and 49 met the inclusion criteria. These 49 studies included data from 66 patients with pessary complications amenable to surgical correction. Clavien-Dindo classification was used to grade the complications. Most patients presented with vaginal symptoms such as bleeding, discharge, or ulceration. The most frequent complications were pessary incarceration and fistulas. Surgical treatment included removal of the pessary under local or general anesthesia, fistula repair, hysterectomy and vaginal repair, and the management of bleeding.

CONCLUSIONS

Pessaries are a reasonable and durable treatment for pelvic organ prolapse. Complications are rare. Routine follow-ups are necessary. The ideal patient candidate must be able to remove and reintroduce their pessary on a regular basis; if not, this must be performed by a healthcare worker at regular intervals.

Transvaginal surgical treatment of stage III-IV cystocele using a light prolene mesh: Safety of use and 5-year follow-up results

OBJECTIVE

The relevance of the article is due to the spread of the problem of genital prolapse in women. In order to solve this, the purpose of the presented work is to present and evaluate the 5-year experience of using light-weight polypropylene mesh, which is used in the transvaginal surgical treatment of stage III-IV cystocele.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Dnipro State Medical University at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the period from 2010 to 2020. A total of 612 patients with an average age of 64.8 ± 8.2 years (range 47-79) were included in it.

RESULTS

Long-term analysis of operative treatment in 374 patients (76.0%) after 60 months showed a high level of satisfaction with the results of the operation 99.2% (371/374). A significant level of elimination of pathological symptoms in the functioning of the pelvic organs and improvement of the quality of life was established, which were assessed using questionnaires: PFDI-20 (76.4-4.3 (p < 0.05)), PFIQ-7 (41-8.4 (p < 0.05)), before the operation and at the final stage of the study. In total, 12 months after the operation, 2.6% (12/467) of the patients were re-operated on due to erosion of the vaginal wall at the site of placement of the MESH-system.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed technique for restoring the front wall of the vagina in case of an isolated cystocele of the III-IV degree, without signs of incomplete or complete prolapse of the uterus, showed a recurrence-free result in the indicated segment of the vagina.

Applying graph theory to improve the quality of scientific evidence from textual information: Neural injuries after gynaecologic pelvic surgery for genital prolapse and urinary incontinence

AIMS

To provide the overall rate for all types of neurologic iatrogenic injuries during urogynaecologic surgery from textual data.

METHODS

Systematic research focused on complications of gynaecologic surgery and neurologic injuries in abstracts. Keywords concerning complications (cluster A), unspecific; neurologic issues (cluster B); surgery (generic words) (cluster C); specific gynaecologic operations (cluster D); and specific gynaecologic operations for pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence (cluster E) were extracted. Associations among clusters of keywords were assessed by using multiple runs of text-mining software Semantic Brand Score (SBS, https://semanticbrandscore.com/#primary). Association scores were converted into probabilities. The rate of neurologic complications in urogynaecologic surgery was calculated ("a priori" probability) by applying Bayes' theorem. Textual estimates of neurological injuries in urogynaecologic surgery are 0.035554 (95% confidence intervals 0.019607-0.0515001; no quantitative data were found). To test if the probability calculated on textual information was the same as quantitative data reports ("a posteriori" probability), the rate of neurologic complication of all gynaecologic surgery was calculated using a meta-analytics approach and was compared with the textual analysis value.

RESULTS

The rate of neurologic complications in gynaecologic surgery after meta-analytic data synthesis has been 0.016489 (95% confidence intervals 0.012163-0.022320), which is equal to the textual estimate (0.016889, 95% confidence intervals 0.019607-0.051501). Therefore, 0.035554 is a reliable likelihood to observe a neurologic complication in urogynaecologic surgery.

CONCLUSION

Iatrogenic nerve injuries in urogynaecologic surgery are higher than whole gynaecologic surgery. Text-mining software SBS and probability conversion can provide reliable answers from overall scholars' opinions on unsolved clinical questions when better evidence is lacking.

Evaluation of surgical treatment of genital prolapse using synthetic mesh in an outpatient procedure and patient satisfaction

OBJECTIVE

- To study a new strategy for one day prolapse surgery with mesh, to identify risk factors for one day procedure failure and patient satisfaction.

METHODS

- This retrospective observational study was conducted at Saint Etienne University Hospital, France. All patients who received a prolapse treatment by synthetic mesh between January 2016 and April 2019 in one day surgery procedure were included in the study. Exhaustive variables was collected and all patients were contacted for a satisfaction survey.

RESULTS

- During the periode patients were included. 6 of them required readmissions included 5 hospitalization for urinary retention and 1 for abnormal bleeding. Among the patients, 87% were satisfied. Only the anesthetic management was significantly associated with an ambulatory surgery success (p = 0,02) and satisfaction (p = 0,001).

CONCLUSION

- This study shows the technical feasibility and safety of prosthetic prolapse surgery during outpatient hospitalization. The success of a rapid pathway in one day surgery depends on a good selection of patients, proper planning of surgical procedures and optimization of anesthesia protocols. The prevention of outpatient failures is justified for medical and economic reasons respecting the quality and safety of patients.

Genital Prolapse in Pregnant Woman as a Presentation of Aggressive Angiomyxoma: Case Report and Literature Review

Background: Aggressive angiomyxoma is a rare entity within mesenchymal cell neoplasms, especially in pregnant women. Its main characteristic is the ability to infiltrate neighboring structures and to recur. Case Presentation: We present the case of a pregnant woman who debuted with a genital prolapse in the second trimester of pregnancy. She was diagnosed with bilateral ovarian teratomas and a pelvic mass of which the diagnosis could not be established until delivery. The route of delivery used was cesarean section since the genital prolapse behaved as a previous tumor. After the puerperium, the patient was referred for consultation to complete the study of the mass. The extension study was carried out with a negative result. The patient underwent surgery for tumor exeresis. Hormonal treatment was not administered according to the patient's preferences. Conclusions: Aggressive angiomyxoma is a benign neoplasm that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pelvic tumors in women. In pregnant women, the vaginal route of delivery is not contraindicated as long as the tumor does not obstruct the birth canal. The definitive treatment is surgery, preferably performed in a second stage after delivery.

[Usage evaluation of the biofeedback and electrical impulse stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles in patients after surgical correction of genital prolapse by the method of multi-parametric ultrasound]

Pelvic floor surgery is currently recognized as the only effective method for treating genital prolapse but it is not able to restore fully the qualitative characteristics of perineal tissues. The risk of recurrence of the pathological process in the long-term period remains a serious negative aspect. Optimization of pelvic floor rehabilitation after surgical correction of perineal ptosis remains an urgent problem in the female population. The validated method of questioning is a priority in assessing the dynamics of clinical manifestations of failure of the anatomical and functional structures of the pelvic floor, their impact on the life quality of patients before and after the biofeedback method (BFB therapy) and electrical impulse stimulation (EIS) of muscles. Multi-parametric ultrasound diagnostics of perineal tissues can confirm the improvement of the echo-structure of the anatomical and functional elements of the pelvic floor after the complex application of physiotherapeutic effects using modern high-tech hardware systems through an external feedback channel by means of acoustic, visual and tactile perception.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of biofeedback therapy and EIS of the neuromuscular apparatus of the pelvic floor in patients operated on for stage III, IV of genital prolapse using mesh implants by means of validated questionnaire survey and measuring the parameters of perineal tissues by the method of multi-parametric ultrasound.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 187 women after surgical correction of stage III and IV genital prolapse according to POP-Q using mesh technologies. The 149 women underwent the observation program; 36 patients of the control group were recommended to modify their lifestyle; 113 patients of the main group - biofeedback therapy and EIS. The indicators of validated questionnaires (determination of the of perineal structures failure influence index on the life quality, ILQ) and ultrasound multi-parametric examination were assessed at baseline, 6 months and 1 year after the program of observation and rehabilitation.

RESULTS

The clinical effectiveness of biofeedback therapy and EIS was confirmed by validated questionnaire: after 1 year, the ILQ in the control group decreased by 7.7%, in the main group - by 43.3% (p<0.05). Multi-parametric ultrasound assessment of perineal tissues after surgical correction of stages III and IV of genital prolapse showed a positive effect of conservative rehabilitation on the anatomical and functional structures of the pelvic floor. The diagnostic advantage of endo-anal sonography in the analysis of the echo-structure of the pelvic floor elements, detection of pathologies that cannot be scanned endo-vaginally and trans-perineally has been established. There were 2 (5.5%) cases of recurrence of genital prolapse in the control group; there were no relapsesamong the patients of the main group.

CONCLUSION

The validated questioning for the ILQ and ultrasound multi-parametric study by measuring the parameters of perineal tissues confirmed the effectiveness of biofeedback therapy and EIS after surgical correction of stage III and IV genital prolapse using mesh technologies. Endo-anal sonography is essential in the examination of gynecological patients. The adherence to the monitoring and rehabilitation program was 79.6%.

Anterior vaginal wall protrusion in pregnancy: a case report

Vaginal prolapse rarely complicates pregnancy. We experienced a 36-year-old, gravida 3, para 1 woman who presented at 37 weeks’ gestation with gestational diabetes mellitus and a large anterior vaginal prolapse that could not be reduced manually or by bed rest. After obtaining consent, a cesarean section was successfully performed, and a live neonate delivered. The prolapsed anterior vagina recovered spontaneously following the cesarean operation. A vaginal prolapse in pregnancy is rare. Elective or emergency cesarean section is a possible treatment option when the prolapse cannot be reduced manually or by bed rest. Our case highlights the importance of routine obstetric examinations for early detection of a vaginal wall prolapse.

Symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse in middle-aged women: a national matched cohort study on the influence of childbirth

BACKGROUND

The relative impact of age, pregnancy, and vaginal delivery on symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse is still an unresolved issue that involves the controversial question about the protective effect of cesarean section.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to compare the age-related prevalence of symptomatic genital prolapse in nulliparous, vaginal- and cesarean-delivered women aged 40-64 years.

STUDY DESIGN

This Swedish, nationwide matched cohort study involved 14,335 women. Three restricted, randomly selected source cohorts of women (nulliparous women unexposed to childbirth [n = 9136], 1-para cesarean delivered women, exposed to 1 pregnancy [n = 1412], and 1-para women exposed to 1 pregnancy followed by vaginal delivery [n = 3787]) were retrieved from the Swedish Medical Birth Register and Statistics Sweden and surveyed in 2008 and 2014. The surveys used a postal and Internet-based questionnaire containing validated questions for pelvic floor disorders. Symptomatic prolapse was defined by the question, "Do you have a sensation of tissue protrusion (a vaginal bulge) from your vagina?" In this study the symptom frequencies, sometimes and often, were defined as a positive response. Parous women were all assessed 20 years postnatally. One-to-one matching with an age interval for pairing of 3 years and 3 units of body mass index (kilograms per square meter) was used in women aged 40-64 years. The procedure succeeded in 2635 of 2640 women (99.8%), resulting in an adequate distribution of age and body mass index (kilograms per square meter) between matched groups. For comparison between groups, a Fisher exact test was used for categorical variables and the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables. Trend between matched groups was analyzed with Mantel-Haenszel statistics. Estimated, age-related values of symptomatic prolapse were obtained by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

In nulliparous and cesarean-delivered women, the prevalence of symptomatic prolapse was relatively similar and below 5% across ages 40-64 years. In contrast, in women after vaginal delivery, there was an accelerating increase in the prevalence of symptomatic genital prolapse up to 65 years of age. Estimated probability from the regression model increased 4-fold, from 3.8% at 40 years to 13.4% at 64 years of age. The observed induction period associated with 1 vaginal delivery seemed to be at least 20 years among women giving birth in their early 20s. At age 64 years, the estimated probability of symptomatic prolapse was 12 times higher after vaginal delivery compared with cesarean deliery (13.4% [95% confidence interval, 9.4-18.9] vs 1.1% [95% confidence interval, 0.4-2.5], P < .0001). The calculated reduction of symptomatic prolapse by cesarean delivery at 64 years of age was thus 92%.

CONCLUSION

In this national matched cohort study, the interaction between vaginal delivery and aging was the most important factor for the occurrence of symptomatic prolapse. Because the effect of aging can be modified only to a small extent, preventive strategies for genital prolapse should focus on how to avoid the adverse events related to a vaginal delivery.

[An interaction between an obstetrician-gynecologist and a urologist in the gynecological practice]

The article is devoted to the interaction of a gynecologist and a urologist in a gynecological hospital, based on the experience of the gynecological department at the Clinic of obstetrics and gynecology of the Clinical Center of Sechenov University. The most common clinical scenarios were identified when the participation of a urologist in evaluation and treatment is urgently needed, including large pelvis mass, endometriosis with an involvement of pelvic organs, genital prolapse, small pelvis adhesions as a result of previous surgical procedures and postoperative urinary disorders. A close interaction between two specialties, which are dedicated to pelvic organs disorders, namely gynecology and urology, is extremely popular in modern clinical practice and allows to significantly reduce the number of intra- and postoperative complications, carry out a comprehensive examination and determine individual treatment tactics in a gynecological hospital, which increases quality of medical care.

[Specific features of the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in patients with III-IV stage of anterior vaginal prolapse]

AIM

to improve treatment results of patients with stress urinary incontinence and severe cystocele by optimizing surgical tactics and rehabilitation methods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

a total of 56 women aged 54 to 68 years with stages III-IV of the anterior vaginal wall prolapse (according to the POP-Q classification) and urethral sphincter insufficiency were evaluated. All patients underwent a transvaginal extraperitoneal anterior mesh repair without concomitant sling procedure. The severity of prolapse, a presence or absence of stress urinary incontinence, and ultrasound signs of sphincter insufficiency were re-evaluated two months after procedure.

RESULTS

in all cases, the anterior wall prolapse was eliminated or reduced to subclinical stage. Two months after procedure, 48 patients (85,7%) noted the onset of stress urinary incontinence (moderate and severe) with progressive deterioration. In the remaining cases (14,3%), patients did not have any urinary incontinence. All patients underwent active rehabilitation for 6 months. In 6 cases (12,5%), there was a decrease in the severity of urinary incontinence to the level that had virtually didnt affect the quality of life; in remaining cases, conservative treatment was considered ineffective and sling procedure was recommended.

DISCUSSION

A diagnosis of latent urinary incontinence remains to be controversial. To detect this form, a cough test with a prolapse reduction is usually performed. In addition, preoperative urodynamic testing can be used, since it has good sensitivity in identifying latent urinary incontinence, but it is an expensive procedure for the routine practice. A determination of the urethral sphincter insufficiency makes it possible to predict the development of the stress urinary incontinence with a high accuracy, but this method also has a number of limitations.

CONCLUSION

patients with stages III-IV of the anterior vaginal wall prolapse and ultrasound signs of sphincter insufficiency have a risk of developing stress urinary incontinence after surgical treatment. In this group of patients, a simultaneous surgery can be recommended in order to correct prolapse and to prevent subsequent urinary incontinence.

Mesh colposacropexy in the management of anterior vaginal compartment prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse is a frequent female pathology, often causing a negative impact on the patient’s quality of life. The purpose of this paper is to present the results that we have achieved in 32 patients with anterior vaginal compartment prolapse, managed using the transvaginal mesh approach.

Over a period of twelve months, we have performed 32 transvaginal reconstructive procedures using a four arms polypropylene mesh. The superior arms of the mesh have been passed through the obturator foramen while the inferior arms have been passed through the sacrospinous ligament.

The surgery has lead to a significant improvement in the quality of life in this group of patients, this being assessed using self-administered questionnaires that evaluated the quality of life, the sexual function, and urinary continence. Anatomical success was achieved in 96.87% of the cases. In terms of postoperative complications, we mention one case of vaginal erosion, one case of de novo dyspareunia and three cases of pelvic discomfort. So far we have not encountered any mesh exposure cases nor prolapse recurrence.

Considering the results that we have achieved in our study, we can conclude that the transvaginal polypropylene mesh approach can prove itself to be a viable solution for the management of genital prolapse, especially if we consider the high postoperative rates of anatomical success and low rates of postoperative complications, as well as improving the patient’s quality of life. In spite of these encouraging results, the fact that in recent years FDA has emitted several warnings in terms of postoperative complications following such procedures, as well as the fact that our study was conducted on a small group of patients, limits the strength of our research, its only purpose being to present our experience for this surgical approach over a limited period of time.

[Conservative management of genital prolapse]

Conservative management of genital prolapse may be an alternative to surgical treatment, if prolapse is moderate or has few symptoms, and for frail patients when surgery is contraindicated. Non-surgical management consists of several measures. Topical hormonal treatments improve patients' comfort, but their efficiency was not proven. Pessaries achieve anatomical reintegration of prolapse and reach up to 80% satisfaction rate. Cube-shaped pessaries have to be changed daily, permanent ring pessaries require to be changed by a doctor every 3 months. Pelvic floor muscle training can improve symptoms in moderate forms and delays the prolapse worsening. Prevention is important, associating measures such as fighting obesity, constipation, coughing, eviction of heavy loads carrying and avoiding pelvic floor high solicitating sports.

[Surgical management of genital prolapse]

Although non invasive options exist, surgical management of genital prolapse is a gold standard. The main surgical approaches are abdominal -sacrocolpopexy- and vaginal -with or without mesh-. Sacrocolpopexy has proven to have better results than vaginal techniques, but is not appropriate for all women. Vaginal surgery remains a good option especially in older women who no longer have sexual activity. The surgical approach must adapt to patients' clinical characteristics. The choice has to be a shared decision after patients' loyal information.

Risk factors and predisposing conditions for urinary tract infection

Understanding individual and population-specific risk factors associated with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) can help physicians tailor prophylactic strategies. Frequent intercourse, vulvovaginal atrophy, change of the local bacterial flora, history of UTIs during premenopause or in childhood, family history, and a nonsecretor blood type are substantiated risk factors for recurrent uncomplicated UTIs. This is a narrative review based on relevant literature according to the experience and expertise of the authors. Asymptomatic bacteriuria is generally benign; however, during pregnancy it is more common and is associated with an increased likelihood of symptomatic infection, which may harm the mother or fetus. Screening of pregnant women and appropriate treatment with antimicrobials must be balanced with the potential for adverse treatment-related outcomes; appropriate prophylaxis should be considered where possible. High-quality data are currently lacking on risks related to asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy and further data in this hard-to-study population should be a primary concern for researchers. Incomplete voiding represents the primary risk factor for UTIs associated with conditions such as urinary incontinence and prolapse. Correcting the presence of residual urine remains the most effective prophylaxis in these populations. Bladder function alters throughout life; however, changes in function may be particularly profound in clinical populations at high risk of UTIs. Patients with neurogenic bladder will also likely have other evolving medical issues which increase the risk of UTIs, such as repeated catheterization and increasing residual urine volume. More aggressive antimicrobial prophylactic strategies may be appropriate in these patients. Again, the paucity of data on prophylaxis in these high-risk patients requires the attention of the research community.

Pleated colposuspension: Our modification of Burch colposuspension

Introduction:

Burch colposuspension is a standard treatment for stress urinary incontinence. However, it is associated with recurrence and urinary retention. We describe a modification of this technique to overcome these problems and evaluate the results in comparison with the standard procedure.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 145 patients with isolated stress urinary incontinence (SUI), underwent either our modified pleated colposuspension (PC); n = 97) or standard Burch colposuspension (BC) (n = 48). Description of PC: Three No. 0 non-absorbable sutures were placed in the side-to-side manner at the mid-urethral level with 0.5-1.0 cm distance between them using double bites and were passed through the Cooper's ligament. The patients were followed-up every 6 months for SUI and genital prolapse evaluation. Successful surgery was defined as (1) No self-reported SUI symptoms, (2) Negative Marshall's coughing test (MT), (3) No retreatment for SUI, (4) Absence of urodynamic SUI. In addition, failure was defined as the occurrence of urinary retention, use of catheter on 6-week visit, maximum flow rate >15 ml/s, flow time <60 s, or residual urine <100 ml. Data was compared using Student's paired test and Mantel-Haenzel's χ² test. P > 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

The mean follow-up after surgery for PC was 102.4 months and for BC was 103.6 months. At last follow-up, data suggesting failure (Stress score ≥7, urge score ≥7, Pad test with weight < 15 g/day and positive MT during lithotomic/upright position) were more frequent in BC group (P > 0.05; P > 0.0; P > 0.01; P > 0.05; P > 0.05, respectively). The incidence of recurrent SUI was 5.2% after PC and almost triple (14.6%) after BC. Residual urine <100 ml and weak stream were more frequent in the BC group (P > 0.05; P > 0.01, respectively). Detrusor over-activity on urodynamic studies, Flow time <60 s, urethral pressure profilometry positive for obstruction had a higher incidence in BC group (P > 0.01; P > 0.001; P > 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion:

Our modified pleated colposuspension showed improved outcomes when compared with standard Burch colposuspension.

Efficacy and 9 years' follow-up of posterior intravaginal slingplasty for genital prolapse

AIM

The aim of this study was to assess the long-term efficacy and complication rates of posterior intravaginal slingplasty (IVS) in women suffering from genital prolapse.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Posterior IVS or infracoccygeal sacropexy is a minimally invasive procedure for suspension of the vagina with the goal of creating new uterosacral ligaments through the insertion of a polypropylene tape. Forty-four patients were enrolled: 25 patients, affected by uterovaginal prolapse, were subjected to vaginal hysterectomy and posterior IVS; and 19 patients, diagnosed with vaginal vault prolapse, were subjected to posterior IVS alone. The primary outcome for posterior IVS was 12-month, 24-month and annual 9-year postoperative efficacy that is based on a Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantitative score of -5 at point C, which describes the vaginal apex.

RESULTS

Of the 44 patients who underwent posterior IVS, none required blood transfusions with an average reduction of perioperative hemoglobin of 1.2 ± 0.4 g/dl, and the average time of hospitalization was 4.3 ± 0.6 days. The rate of success was 93.18% (41/44) at 9 years' follow-up. We had only one case of extrusion (2.27%) and three cases of recurrence (6.82%), such as two cases of cystocele and of rectocele.

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients interviewed confirmed that their quality of life improved after surgery, 86.36% of the operated patients reported that their sexual performance improved and that they would recommend this surgery for their friends. Posterior IVS was a minimally invasive surgical procedure with a high success rate for genital prolapse.

Trends in hysterectomy for genital prolapse: rural experience

The present study was conducted to investigate the trends of vaginal hysterectomy for genital prolapse in last 20 years by analyzing case records of affected women.

During the analysis period, 4831 women underwent hysterectomy; records of 4223 (87.5%) were available. Of these, 911 (21.6%), 2.7% of 34,080 gynecological admissions, had vaginal hysterectomy for genital prolapse (study subjects).

Eighty percent women who had vaginal hysterectomy for genital prolapse were over 40 years of age; however, most of these women had had the disorder for years before they presented. Only 4 (0.4%) women had not given birth, 874 (96%) women had had two or more births, and 383 (42%) had had 5 or more births. Having given birth was the major factor responsible for genital prolapse. In all, 94.2% of women presented with something coming out of the vagina.” Some women presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding or pain in abdomen as the chief complaint although they had had uterovaginal prolapse for years.

There was no mortality and morbidity decreased over the years. There has been no change in the rate of vaginal hysterectomy for genital prolapse over the years. Surgical morbidity decreased trend, possibly because of the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative precautions taken, especially preoperative treatment of urinary and genital tract infection.

Attempts need to be made to have safe births and a healthy life style so as to prevent genital prolapse and in case it occurs, therapy to prevent progression so that major interventions like hysterectomy are averted. Meticulous preoperative evaluation and planned therapy help in reducing surgical morbidity, if surgery becomes essential.

Prevention of Labour-Associated Pelvic Floor Injuries - What is Known for Sure

In order to avoid pelvic floor injuries a caesarean section is on the one hand often requested by the pregnant women and, on the other hand, offered by obstetric staff. For both forms of delivery, comprehensive risk-benefit analyses should be carried out before deciding in favour of the surgical procedure. The present brief review summarizes the current evidence on the avoidance of pelvic floor injuries.

Potential relevance of pre-operative quality of life questionnaires to identify candidates for surgical treatment of genital prolapse: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

To evaluate prolapse-related symptoms, quality of life and sexuality of patients with validated questionnaires before and after surgery for genital prolapse and assess relevance of such an evaluation to select women for surgery.

METHODS

From November 2009 to April 2010, 16 patients operated on for genital prolapse of grade greater than or equal to 2 (POP-Q classification) were evaluated prospectively by three questionnaires of quality of life Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20), Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ-7) and Pelvic Organ Prolaps/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12). Data were collected the day before surgery and 6 weeks postoperatively.

RESULTS

Eleven patients had laparoscopic surgery and five vaginal surgery. There was a significant decrease in pelvic heaviness, vaginal discomfort and urinary symptoms after surgery. The score of symptoms of prolapse, the PFDI-20 score was 98.5 preoperatively and 31.8 postoperatively (p < 0.0001). The score for quality of life, the PFIQ-7 score was 54.5 preoperatively and 7.4 postoperatively (p = 0.001). The score of sexuality, the PISQ-12 score was 35.3 preoperatively and 37.5 postoperatively (p = 0.1). Two of the 3 patients with a PFIQ 7 under or equal to 20 were not improved while all the women with a preoperative PFIQ-7 over 20 were improved after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that surgery improves quality of life of patients with genital prolapse. Quality of life questionnaires could help select good candidates for surgery. Further studies are required to determine threshold to standardize indications of surgery.

Sexual function before and after sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to describe sexual function before and after sacrocolpopexy.

STUDY DESIGN

In the Colpopexy and Urinary Reduction Efforts trial, sexual function was assessed in 224 women with sexual partners before and 1 year after surgery using validated questionnaires.

RESULTS

After surgery, significantly fewer women reported sexual interference from "pelvic or vaginal symptoms" (32.5% 1 year after surgery vs 7.8% prior to surgery); fear of incontinence (10.7% vs 3.3%); vaginal bulging (47.3% vs 4.6%); or pain (39.9% vs 21.6%). The proportion of women with infrequent sexual desire (32%) did not change. More women were sexually active 1 year after surgery (171, 76.3%) than before surgery (148, 66.1%). The 11 women (7.4%) who became sexually inactive were more likely than sexually active women to report infrequent sexual desire (70.0% vs 22.1%, P < .001). The addition of Burch colposuspension did not have an impact on postoperative sexual function.

CONCLUSION

After sacrocolpopexy, most women reported improvements in pelvic floor symptoms that previously interfered with sexual function. The addition of Burch colposuspension did not adversely influence sexual function.