Prolapse Research Articles

The influence of simultaneous posterior colporrhaphy and perineoplasty on the efficiency and safety of mesh-augmented sacrospinal fixation (apical sling) in advanced POP repair

BackgroundPelvic organ prolapse (POP) is one of the most common pathologies of the pelvic floor, and it can be found among 40–60% of women who have given birth. Correction of the defect of the DeLancey level II without reconstruction of the apical defect is doomed to failure. Also, in the structure of pelvic floor defects, there is often an incompetency of the perineal body, as a consequence of traumatic delivery. Perineoplasty is considered to be the main method of correction for perineal body incompetency. However, it is worth mentioning that there are no randomized trials, which estimate the influence of simultaneous correction of the perineal body on the effectiveness of transvaginal apical fixation.MethodsIt is planned to include 310 patients in this trial. Patients who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria will be randomized into 2 groups: 1st group—patients who will undergo mesh-augmented sacrospinal fixation with anterior and posterior colporrhaphy without perineoplasty, 2nd group—patients who will undergo mesh-augmented sacrospinal fixation with anterior and posterior colporrhaphy and perineoplasty. Patients will be called to an appointment 6, 12, and 24 months after discharge.DiscussionThe aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficiency and safety of simultaneous perineoplasty on the clinical and anatomical efficacy of mesh-augmented sacrospinal fixation in advanced pelvic organ prolapse repair. Based on previous studies, it was difficult to estimate and comprehend whether colpoperinoplasty actually reduces the risk of prolapse recurrence.Trial registrationNCT05422209. Registered on 18 May 2022.

Determinants of women’s preferences for surgical versus conservative management for pelvic organ prolapse: a survey-based study from Italy

Background and objectivePelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects 40% of women, with a 12%–19% lifetime surgical risk. Italy showed high practice variation in POP surgery, possibly impacting equity of access to...

Medium-term outcomes of laparoscopic pubocervical fascia reconstruction and sacrospinous ligament fixation with posterior approach for a pelvic organ prolapse: A retrospective study of 124 cases

ObjectivePelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common gynecological disease in middle-aged and older women that seriously affects patients' physical health and quality of life, increases the financial burden for patients, and becomes a major public health concern. The aim of this study was to investigate the medium-term outcomes of laparoscopic pubocervical fascia reconstruction and sacrospinous ligament fixation with a posterior approach for patients with severe POP. MethodsPatients with severe POP quantitation stage III–IV who underwent laparoscopic pubocervical fascia reconstruction and sacrospinous ligament fixation with a posterior approach at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine between September 2016 and December 2020 were enrolled in this study. The results and complications were recorded. Data were retrospectively reviewed. ResultsIn total, 124 patients were analyzed. Patients were followed up for 32.27 ± 12.90 months. The objective cure rate for patients who underwent hysterectomy was 91.7% (100/109), with 7 (6.4%) patients had anterior vaginal wall prolapse and 2 (1.8%) patients had posterior vaginal wall prolapse. The objective cure rate for patients who retained uterus was 66.7% (10/15). All 5 patients with recurrence had uterine prolapse, and 3 (20.0%) of them also had anterior vaginal wall prolapse. ConclusionsLaparoscopic pubocervical fascia reconstruction and sacrospinous ligament fixation with the posterior approach is a safe, minimally invasive, and effective method for patients with severe POP. Long-term follow-up is needed to confirm the clinical effects.

Association between voiding lower urinary tract symptoms and findings on dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with regard to pelvic organs and their supportive structures.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) causes voiding lower urinary tract symptoms (vLUTS). In the present study, we investigated the association between vLUTS and pelvic organ mobility (POM), including relevant supportive structures, on dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI). We included 118 patients who had POP of stage II or less before straining and stage III or more when straining during dMRI. The presence of vLUTS and overactive bladder (OAB) was determined by a voiding subscore of the International Prostate Symptom Score (vIPSS) ≥5 and the OAB symptom score, respectively. POM was measured by dMRI before and during straining, and patients with and without vLUTS as well as patients with and without vLUTS and/or OAB were compared. p < .05 was considered to be statistically significant. According to vIPSS, 42 patients (35.6%) had vLUTS. On dMRI, patients with vLUTS showed a significantly more ventral position and/or movement of the bladder and cervix. Moreover, patients with vLUTS and OAB had significantly more ventral movement of the uterine cervix and a larger strain on imaginary uterosacral and cardinal ligaments than those without these symptoms. In addition, patients with vLUTS and OAB had significantly higher vIPSS than those with vLUTS alone. vLUTS may be associated with the proximity of the bladder and cervix to the pubic bone and consequent compression of the urethra by the prolapsed organs. vLUTS with OAB might indicate more advanced lower urinary tract dysfunction than vLUTS alone.

Estrogen inhibits the differentiation of fibroblasts induced by high stiffness matrix by enhancing DNMT1 expression

Introduction and hypothesisPelvic organ prolapse(POP) is a multifactorial connective tissue disorder caused by damage to the supporting structures of the pelvic floor. Evidence from several studies suggests that anterior vaginal wall stiffness is higher in patients with POP, but the mechanisms involved remain unknown. MethodsTissue from the anterior vaginal wall of patients with POP or other benign diseases was obtained. The modulus of elasticity of the anterior vaginal wall was measured using a microindenter. Cells were cultured in vitro on acrylamide gels of different stiffness and treated with DNMT1 inhibitor, microtubule polymerisation inhibitor and estrogen. Western blot or immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect DNA Methyltransferase 1, α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) expression, and connective tissue growth factor(CTGF) expression. ConclusionEstrogen can inhibit high stiffness matrix-induced fibroblast differentiation, by enhancing DNMT1 expression. This study may help to elucidate the complex crosstalk between fibroblasts and their surrounding matrix under healthy and pathological conditions and provide new insights into the options for material-related therapeutic applications.

(008) Chronic High Fat Diet Decreases Vaginal Smooth Muscle Tone but does not Affect Pelvic Floor Skeletal Muscle in Mice

Abstract Introduction Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a disease that affects the physical and mental health of women, as well as their quality of life. POP, regardless of severity, can be a direct cause of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) by producing pain during intercourse or a general reluctance to engage in sexual activity. The largest risk factors for POP include parity, obesity, and advanced age. Obesity, a modifiable risk factor, is believed to increase intra-abdominal pressure and weaken the pelvic floor muscles and fascia. Studies have shown that obesity and a high fat diet (HFD) can weaken skeletal muscle by increasing collagen deposition and inducing muscle apoptosis. Objectives There is paucity in the literature of animal studies that have specifically investigated the effect of obesity on the support structures of the pelvic floor and how it contributes to POP. The objective of this study is to examine the structure and function of the vagina and pelvic floor in female mice fed a chronic HFD. Methods Adult female C57/Blk6N mice (10 weeks, n=32) were fed a control (10% kcal fat) or HFD (45% kcal fat) for 24 weeks. Ex vivo external vaginal sphincter contraction to increasing concentrations of adrenergic agonist norepinephrine and relaxation to nitric oxide donor DEA NONOate and electric field stimulation (EFS) was measured. Iliococcygeus (IC) muscles of the pelvic floor were isolated and set to optimal length and tetanic contractions were performed at increasing frequencies to asses absolute and specific force. Fatigue was measured following repetitive stimulations over 5 minutes. IC muscle fiber types were characterized with anti-myosin antibodies and cross-sectional area (CSA) of each fiber type was measured. Results Vaginal sphincter adrenergic-mediated contraction was a significantly decreased in HFD-fed mice (Fig 1A; p&amp;lt;0.05). The vaginal sphincter smooth muscle relaxation in response to a nitric oxide donor was greater in the HFD mice (Fig 1B; p&amp;lt;0.05). Neurogenic-mediated EFS vaginal relaxations were also enhanced in the HFD mice (p&amp;lt;0.05). Surprisingly, chronic HFD did not impact iliococcygeus muscle specific force, absolute force, or muscle fatigue (Fig 1C). Furthermore, HFD did not affect the CSA or population of type I, IIa, IIX, or IIb iliococcygeus muscle fibers. Conclusions HFD-induced obesity in mice leads to pelvic floor weakness by enhancing relaxation and decreasing tone of the vaginal smooth muscle. Interestingly, the function and composition of pelvic skeletal muscle was unaffected by HFD. As the vagina serves as a primary support structure to the pelvic organs, lack in muscle contractility and increase in relaxation following HFD suggests that obesity-induced POP may play a direct role in FSD. Disclosure

Inequality in healthcare-seeking behavior among women with pelvic organ prolapse: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

IntroductionPelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects women’s quality of life in various aspects. However, evidence on the healthcare-seeking behavior of women with POP is limited. Therefore, this review aimed to identify and synthesize the existing evidence on the healthcare-seeking behavior among women with POP.MethodsThis systematic review and narrative synthesis of the literature on healthcare-seeking behavior among women with POP was conducted from 20 June to 07 July 2022. The electronic databases PubMed, African Journals Online, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, African Index Medicus and Directory of Open Access Journal, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant literature published from 1996 to April 2022. The retrieved evidence was synthesized using a narrative synthesis approach. The characteristics of included studies and the level of healthcare-seeking behavior were summarized in a table and texts. Error bar was used to show the variability across different studies.ResultsA total of 966 articles were retrieved of which only eight studies with 23,501 women (2,683 women with pelvic organ prolapse) were included in the synthesis. The level of healthcare-seeking behavior ranges from 21.3% in Pakistan to 73.4% in California, USA. The studies were conducted in four different populations, used both secondary and primary data, and were conducted in six different countries. The error bar shows variation in healthcare-seeking behavior.ConclusionsThe level of health-care seeking behavior among women with POP is low in low-income countries. There is substantial variability in the characteristics of the reviewed studies. We recommend a large-scale and robust study which will help to better understand the healthcare-seeking behavior among women with POP.

3D Printable Hydrogel with Tunable Degradability and Mechanical Properties as a Tissue Scaffold for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Treatment

AbstractPelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a dysfunction that affects a large proportion of women. Current support scaffolds’ lack of biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical compliance are associated with surgical complications including erosion and pain, indicating the urgent need for new tissue scaffolds with customizable functions. A new material that uses polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the main ingredient and is chemically tuned to possess suitable mechanical properties and degradation rates for the surgical treatment of POP is developed. Specifically, the thiol‐norbornene “click” chemistry enables the sol‐gel transition of the biomaterial under UV‐light without side‐products. Meanwhile, NaOH treatment further toughens the hydrogel with a higher crosslink density. The PVA‐based biocompatible ink can be printed with UV‐facilitated direct ink writing due to the rapidly UV‐initiated chemical crosslink; in situ image analysis and machine learning methods are applied during this procedure to quantify and improve the printing quality. The cell viability results demonstrate the biocompatibility of the POP scaffolds, suggesting the potential for future animal studies and the possibility of clinical research. This study bridges polymer chemistry and manufacturing engineering with a specific tissue engineering application to solve the common disorder of POP, shedding light on individualized medicine and intelligent systems for biomedical engineering.

Associated factors of pelvic organ prolapse among patients at Public Hospitals of Southern Ethiopia: A case-control study design.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is the descent of the vaginal wall, cervix, uterus, bladder, and rectum downward into the vaginal canal. It occurs owing to the weakness of the structures supporting and keeping pelvic organs in anatomic position. Prolapse occurs due to exposure to risk factors; women in developing countries are highly predisposed to the risk factors of the prolapse. No study assesses POP in Southern Ethiopia. A case-control study design was employed in 369 participants (123 cases and 246 controls) of seven randomly selected Public Hospitals of Southern Ethiopia from February-June, 2020, using a structured questionnaire. All patients diagnosed with prolapse (stage I- IV) were included as cases; patients free of prolapse (stage 0) were taken as controls after physicians had performed a diagnosis and vaginal examination. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS. In this study, after adjusting for covariates, age of the women ≥ 45 years (AOR = 5.33, 95% CI: 1.47, 9.05), underweight (AOR= 4.54, 95% CI: 1.4, 15.76), low income (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI:1.14, 5.59), parity ≥5 (AOR = 5.2, 95% CI: 2.2, 12.55), assisted vaginal delivery (AOR= 4, 95% CI: 1.55, 11.63), instrumental delivery (AOR= 3.5, 95% CI:1.45, 84), sphincter damage and vaginal tear (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI:1.44,7.1), carrying heavy loads (AOR= 2.5, 95% CI:1.2, 5.35), and prolonged labor ≥24 hours (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI:1.12, 97) were significant associated factors of prolapse. The odds of developing prolapse is lower among women attended school. Most(84.55%) of the women with prolapse were delayed for the treatments and only surgical interventions were done as treatments. Most of them claimed lack of social support, lack of money, and social stigma as the main reasons for the delay in seeking treatments. Older age, low educational status, underweight, low income, higher parity, assisted vaginal delivery, prolonged labor, sphincter damage, and carrying heavy loads were significant associated factors of POP. It is better to screen older age women by doing campaigns against the prolapse. Also, responsible bodies should work on raising awareness of women as well as awareness of the community about the prolapse through expanding health education. Moreover, informing women to practice pelvic muscle training daily, raising women's income to empower them, and help of family members to reduce carrying an overload of mothers are recommended.

Prevalence and surgical outcomes of stage 3 and 4 pelvic organs prolapse in Jimma university medical center, south west Ethiopia

BackgroundPelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects about half of the women and affects their quality of life. The current study is, therefore, aimed at determining the prevalence and surgical outcomes of severe stage POP at Jimma University medical center from November 2016 to May 2018.MethodA Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on all patients with stage 3 and 4 POP, who were admitted, and had surgery. Data were collected from the patient’s chart, and logbooks, which were filled up from entry till her discharge. A Simplified POPQ(S-POPQ) was used to stage the prolapse at admission, at discharge, and three months follow-ups.ResultsAmong 92 patients who were analyzed, POP accounts for 10.6% of all gynecologic admissions, and 43.8% of all gynecologic surgeries. The mean age of patients is 46 (± 12) years, and nearly 34% of the patients had stage 3 and 66% had stage 4 POP. Based on the type of prolapse, 93.5% of patients had stage 3 and more anterior vaginal wall prolapse (AVWP) and apical prolapse, while 57.6% had stage 3 or more posterior vaginal wall prolapse.Out of 72 patients who had anterior colporrhaphy, 58.7% had anterior colporrhaphy with colposuspension. Out of 83 patients who had apical suspension, 48.2%, 39.8%, and 12% had uterosacral, sacrospinous, and Richardson respectively.Ninety-seven patients had stage 0 or 1 POP at discharge while 90% of 20 patients who returned for follow-up at three months had stage 0 or 1 POP. Eight patients had surgery-related complications; bladder injury, urinary retention, Hemorrhage during SSLF, and rectal injury.ConclusionThe prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse is high and the majority of patients presented with advanced-stage pelvic organ prolapse, with a long duration of symptoms and associated problems. The surgical techniques used have resulted in a high immediate success rate of 97% and 90% at discharge and three months follow up respectively. Therefore, awareness creation activities are important to facilitate an early presentation for treatment to improve the quality of life and the current surgical technique; native tissue vaginal repair (NTVR), being practiced in the setup has had better success.

Theoretical and practical development of the TOPSY self-management intervention for women who use a vaginal pessary for pelvic organ prolapse

BackgroundPelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common condition in women, where the downward descent of pelvic organs into the vagina causes symptoms which impacts quality of life. Vaginal pessaries offer an effective alternative to surgery for the management of POP. However, the need for regular follow-up can be burdensome for women and requires significant healthcare resources. The TOPSY study is a randomised controlled trial which aims to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of self-management of vaginal pessaries. This paper describes the theoretical and practical development of the self-management intervention.MethodsThe intervention was developed using the MRC complex intervention framework, normalisation process theory (NPT) and self-management theory. The intervention aims to boost perceived self-efficacy in accordance with Bandura’s social cognitive theory and is guided by the tasks and skills Lorig and Hollman describe as necessary to self-manage a health condition.ResultsThe TOPSY intervention was designed to support women to undertake the medical management, role management and emotional management of their pessary. The six self-management skills described by Lorig and Hollman: problem-solving, decision-making, resource utilisation, formation of a patient-provider partnership role, action planning and self-tailoring, are discussed in detail, including how women were supported to achieve each task within the context of pessary self-management. The TOPSY intervention includes a self-management support session with a pessary practitioner trained in intervention delivery, a follow-up phone call 2 weeks later and ongoing telephone or face-to-face support as required by the woman initiated by contacting a member of the research team.ConclusionsThe TOPSY study intervention was developed utilising the findings from a prior service development project, intervention development and self-efficacy theory, relevant literature, clinician experience and feedback from pessary using women and members of the public. In 2022, the findings of the TOPSY study will provide further evidence to inform this important aspect of pessary management.Trial registrationISRCTN Registry ISRCTN62510577. Registered on June 10, 2017

Comparison of transvaginal mesh surgery and robot-assisted sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse

BackgroundPelvic organ prolapse (POP) is greatly affecting the quality of life (QOL) of women. There are some surgical techniques for POP repair, for example, transvaginal mesh surgery (TVM), laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC), and robot-assisted sacrocolpopexy (RSC). In the United States and Europe, the number of TVM has rapidly decreased since 2011 due to complications and safety concerns and has shifted to LSC/RSC. In Japan, RSC has increased after the insurance coverage of RSC in 2020. Therefore, we compared the surgical outcomes of TVM and RSC in POP surgery.MethodsWe retrospectively collected POP surgery underwent TVM or RSC at our hospital and compared the operative time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications, and preoperative and postoperative stress urinary incontinence (SUI) of two groups. Preoperative and postoperative SUI were classified into 3 groups: “improved preoperative SUI”, “persistent preoperative SUI” and “de novo SUI”, which occurred for the first time in patients with no preoperative SUI, and compared incidence rate. The Mann–Whitney U test and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare the two groups, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsFrom August 2011 to July 2021, 76 POP surgery was performed and they were classified into two groups: TVM group (n = 39) and RSC group (n = 37). There was no difference in patient age and BMI between the TVM and RSC groups. The median of operative time was 78.0 vs. 111.0 min (p = 0.06), blood loss was 20.0 ml vs. 5.0 ml (p < 0.05), and postoperative hospital stay was 4.0 days vs. 3.0 days (p < 0.05), with less blood loss and shorter postoperative hospital stay in the RSC group. There was no difference in postoperative complications between the TVM and RSC groups (17.9% vs. 16.2%, p = 1.00). De novo SUI was 25.6% vs. 5.4% (p < 0.05) in the TVM and RSC groups, of which 23.1% vs. 5.4% (p < 0.05) occurred within 3 months of surgery.ConclusionRSC is more beneficial and less invasive for patients with pelvic organ prolapse than TVM. In addition, de novo SUI as postoperative complication of RSC was lower than of TVM.

What are the barriers and facilitators to self-management of chronic conditions reported by women? A systematic review

IntroductionPelvic organ prolapse (POP) can be effectively managed using a pessary. A scoping review found that pessary self-management appears to benefit women with no increased risk. Despite this, many are...

Effect of electroacupuncture on symptoms of female pelvic organ prolapse (stage II–III) (EAPOP study): protocol of a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionPelvic organ prolapse (POP) is downward descent of pelvic organs, which causes symptoms of the lower genital, urinary and gastrointestinal tracts, and undermines women’s daily activities and quality of life....

Interdisciplinary combined sacrocolporectopexy: Results after one-year follow-up

Abstract Objective Multicompartmental pelvic floor descensus typically affects women after menopause, leading to a combination of faecal and urinary incontinence, dyspareunia, and evacuation disorders. The aim of this study was to access postoperative quality of life and complications as well as outcome after one-year follow-up after operation of multicompartmental pelvic floor prolapse (POP). Methods All Patients undergoing ventral mesh rectopexy by surgical department and anterior mesh sacrocolpopexy by gynecologists at the same time between 2015 and 2020 were enrolled. The study is a retrospective cohort study approved by the local Ethics committee. Follow-up was scheduled at 6 weeks, 6, and 12 months and consisted of clinical examination and questionnaires. Perioperative and long-time morbidity was assessed according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Quality of life and patients’ satisfaction were evaluated at each consultation. Results Twenty-seven patients were included. All patients were seen at one-year follow-up. Demographic and clinical features are reported in Table 1. Preoperatively, 22 patients (81.5%) were diagnosed with stage II-III (POP-Q) prolapse and severe multicompartment descensus detected on Magnetic Resonance (MR). Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 92.5% of cases and intraoperative conversion was necessary in 2 cases. In 15 cases (55%) a Dynamesh® Visible, in 11 cases (41%) a Gynamesh®, and in one (4%) case a Surgipro™ Mesh was used. No severe complications (Clavien-Dindo &amp;gt;=3) occurred postoperatively. 90-day mortality was 0%. Intraoperatively, a total of 1 vaginal, and 2 bladder lesions were corrected and healed without consequences. At 1 year, patients reported a high level of satisfaction and massive improvement of QoL (8.5 Pt. VAS Scale). During follow-up, one patient had to be reoperated because of incisional hernia and one to cover vaginal mesh exposure. A tension free vaginal tape (TVT) had to be inserted in 4 patients (15%) due to new onset of urinary incontinence. Symptomatic recurrence of prolapse did not occur. Conclusion Interdisciplinary combined sacrocolporectopexy is an effective therapy of multicompartmental pelvic floor descensus. It is a safe procedure with low perioperative morbidity and high patients’ satisfaction. Therefore, it might be the procedure of choice to correct multicompartmental POP.

Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy versus open abdominal sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse repair: A retrospective cohort study

IntroductionPelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a progressive herniation of the pelvic organs through the urogenital diaphragm and commonly leads to vaginal bulge. Sacrocolpopexy is a procedure that surgically corrects POP and can be performed as open abdominal surgery or laparoscopic surgery. This study was performed to compare the therapeutic efficacies of laparoscopic and abdominal sacrocolpopexy with hysterectomy. MethodsThe medical records of 105 patients who had undergone laparoscopic or open abdominal sacrocolpopexy with hysterectomy at Jeju National University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. We compared the basic characteristics and clinical outcomes of these two groups of patients. ResultsNo significant difference was observed between the characteristics of the patients in the abdominal-approach group and the laparoscopic-approach group. The laparoscopic-approach group had a lower intraoperative estimated blood loss (177.8 vs. 89.3 mL, P < 0.001) and a shorter operative time (132.0 vs. 112.3 min, P < 0.001) than the abdominal-approach group. The complication rates of the two groups were not significantly different. ConclusionThe results of our study favor the use of a laparoscopic approach for sacrocolpopexy with hysterectomy. The less invasive method leads to less blood loss and a shorter operative time than an open approach, while maintaining a comparable rate of complications.

Laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy versus vaginal sacrospinous hysteropexy as treatment for uterine descent: comparison of long-term outcomes

Introduction and hypothesisPelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a frequent occurring health issue, especially concerning elderly women. The objective of this study is to examine the long-term outcomes of laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy (LSH) and vaginal sacrospinous hysteropexy (SSHP) for treatment of uterine prolapse.MethodsA retrospective study of patients who underwent a LSH or SSHP. Validated questionnaires and an outpatient examination visit were used to investigate the effects of both surgical treatments. The primary outcome was the composite outcome of success for the apical compartment, defined as no recurrence of uterine prolapse (POP-Q measurement C ≤ 0), no subjective recurrence of POP, and/or not requiring therapy for recurrent prolapse. Secondary outcomes were peri- and postoperative data, anatomical failure, prolapse beyond hymen, subjective outcomes, and disease-specific quality of life.ResultsWe included 105 patients, 53 in the LSH group and 52 in the SSHP group. The overall response rate of the questionnaires was 83% (n = 87) after a mean follow-up time of 4.5 years (54.2 months; 95% CI 44.8–64.2 months) in the LSH group and 2.5 years (30.1 months; 95% CI 29.3–31.5 months) in the SSHP group. There were no clinically relevant differences between the study groups in composite outcome of success (p = 0.073), anatomical failure of the apical compartment (p = 0.711), vaginal bulge symptoms for which patients consulted professionals (p = 0.126), and patient satisfaction (p = 0.741). The operative time was longer in the LSH group (117 min; interquartile range (IQR) 110–123) compared to the SSHP group (67 minutes; IQR 60–73) (p < 0.001). The duration of hospital stay was also longer in the LSH group (4 days) than in the SSHP group (3 days) (p = 0.006).ConclusionsLSH and SSHP seem to be equally effective after long-term follow-up in treating uterine prolapse in terms of objective and subjective recurrence.

Long-term outcome after routine surgery for pelvic organ prolapse—A national register-based cohort study

Introduction and hypothesisPelvic organ prolapse (POP) is common, and women have an estimated 12–19% lifetime risk for needing POP surgery. Aims were to measure re-operation rates up to 10 years after POP surgery and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) 5 years after a first-time operation for POP.MethodsThis is a cohort study using the Swedish National Quality Register for Gynaecological Surgery (GynOp). We retrieved information from 32,086 POP-operated women up to 10 years later. After validation, a web-based PROM questionnaire was sent to 4380 women who 5 years previously had standard POP surgery. Main outcome measures were reoperations due to a relapse of prolapse and PROMs 5 years after the primary operation.ResultsAmong women operated for all types of POP, 11% had re-operations 5 years later and an additional 4% 10 years later, with similar frequencies for various compartments/types of surgery. PROMs yielded a 75% response rate after 5 years. Cure rate was 68% for anterior, 70% for posterior, and 74% for combined anterior-posterior native repairs. Patient satisfaction exceeded 70%, and symptom reduction was still significant after 5 years (p < 0.0001).ConclusionsFollowing primary prolapse surgery, re-operation rates are low, even after 10 years. A web-based survey for follow-up of PROMs after POP surgery is feasible and yields a high response rate after 5 years. The subjective cure rate after primary POP operations is high, with reduced symptoms and satisfied patients regardless of compartment. Standard prolapse surgery with native tissue repair produces satisfactory long-term results.

660 Pelvic organ prolapse: what can we do?

ObjectivePelvic organ prolapse (POP) significantly reduces the women‘s life quality due to urinary difficulty, sexual dysfunction, depression and social exclusion. Every third woman in Ukraine has pelvic disorders due to organ prolapse, which requires surgery, that isn‘t always effective, especially in the elderly. The aim of the study was to optimize of pelvic organ prolapse‘s surgical procedures in elderly women. Methods: 85 elderly women with apical prolapse and presence of defect in the anterior and posterior compartments of 3-4 centuries were examined, 30 women without signs of POP formed a control group. To grade the stage of prolapse, Organ Prolapse Quantitation system (POPQ) (1996) was used. Treatment of genital prolapse in the first group (45 women) included vaginal hysterectomy without oophorectomy, colpocleisis, with unilateral sacspinic colpopexy. Second group (40 women) was treated by vaginal hysterectomy without oophorectomy, colpocleisis without unilateral sacspinic colpopexy. Results: In the first group, one relapse (2.2%) was observed - complete procidentia of the vaginal wall after 6 months with urinary disfunction, without defecatory problems in the woman, which had postoperative complications (prolonged temperature increasing). One woman (2.2%) had a slight vaginal wall prolapse after one year without pelvic dysfunction. In the second group, complications were observed in 7 women (17.5%): 3 women (7.5%) had a complete procidentia with pelvic dysfunction, a slight prolapse without pelvic dysfunction - in 4 women (10%). Conclusions: Unilateral sacspinal colpopexy in the surgical treatment of women with POP significantly reduces the risk of relapse and improves the women‘s life quality.

Effectiveness of intravaginal electrical stimulation combined with electromyography biofeedback-mediated pelvic floor muscle training for postpartum symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse: protocol for the PROSPECT randomized trial

BackgroundPelvic organ prolapse (POP) is seen in up to 30–70% of women presenting for routine gynecology care and 10% of women suffering from bothersome POP symptoms. Vaginal childbirth is one of the most prominent contributing factors for POP. Pelvic muscle training (PFMT) is considered effective to improve mild to moderate POP symptoms. In addition, higher-intensity, supervised PFMT aided by biofeedback and electrical stimulation may confer greater benefit. However, the long-term efficacy of the PFMT combined with electromyography biofeedback is unknown, which indicates the need for further evidence.MethodsThis multicenter randomized controlled trial compares the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of conventional PFMT versus biofeedback-mediated PFMT plus neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for postpartum symptomatic POP women. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients with the improvement of at least one POP-Q stage at 36 months after randomization. The primary economic outcome measure is incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year at 36 months. Two hundred seventy-four women from four outpatient medical centers are randomized and followed up with pelvic floor examination, questionnaires, and pelvic ultrasonography imaging. All participants are arranged for three appointments over 12 weeks. NMES and electromyography biofeedback via intravaginal probe are added to PFMT for participants in the biofeedback-mediated PFMT group. Group allocation could not be blinded from participants and healthcare staff that deliver intervention but remain masked from medical staff that carry out PFM assessment. An intention-to-treat analysis of the primary outcome will estimate the difference of the proportion of POP-Q stage improvement between the trial groups right after the intervention, and during the follow-up until 36 months, using the chi-square test and multilevel mixed models respectively. A logistic regression analysis was used for adjusting for important baseline variables that are unbalanced.DiscussionThe trial results will provide evidence of the effectiveness of electromyography biofeedback-mediated PFMT in improving women’s POP-Q staging, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness.Trial registrationCCTR Registry ChiCTR210002171917. Registered on March 6, 2019