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Canadian Urological Association Journal... Jun 2017Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) results from weakness or injury of the pelvic floor supports with resulting descent of one or more vaginal compartments (anterior, apical... (Review)
Review
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) results from weakness or injury of the pelvic floor supports with resulting descent of one or more vaginal compartments (anterior, apical and/or posterior). Women typically become symptomatic from the bulging vaginal wall or related organ dysfunction once this descent reaches the introitus. POP is a common condition, affecting more than half of adult women. Many women presenting to an urologist for stress urinary incontinence or overactive bladder will have associated POP; therefore, it is important for urologists who treat these conditions to be familiar with its diagnosis and management. While POP is part of the core urology training curriculum in some jurisdictions, it is not in Canada.1 This article reviews the diagnosis of POP, including pertinent symptoms to query in the history, important facets of a systematic pelvic examination, and the appropriate use of ancillary tests. Treatment options are also discussed, including conservative measures, pessaries, and various reconstructive and obliterative techniques.
PubMed: 28616110
DOI: 10.5489/cuaj.4634 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Oct 2007
Review
Topics: Adult; Exercise Therapy; Female; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; Humans; Pessaries; Physical Examination; Uterine Prolapse
PubMed: 17947787
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.39356.604074.BE -
Obstetrics & Gynecology Science Jan 2022To identify the factors associated with unsuccessful pessary fitting and reasons for pessary discontinuation in Korean women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP).
OBJECTIVE
To identify the factors associated with unsuccessful pessary fitting and reasons for pessary discontinuation in Korean women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP).
METHODS
The medical records of 234 patients who underwent pessary fitting for the management of symptomatic POP were retrospectively reviewed. A ring pessary with or without support was used. Successful pessary fitting was defined as the ability to wear a pessary for 2 weeks without any discomfort. Factors associated with unsuccessful pessary fitting were determined using a multivariable logistic regression analysis. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was obtained to examine the probability of continuing pessary use over the follow-up period. The reasons for the discontinuation of pessary were identified.
RESULTS
Two-hundred-and-twenty-five women were included in the analysis. The rate of unsuccessful pessary fitting was 40%. Prior hysterectomy (odds ratio [OR], 4.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.81-9.42) and POP quantification stage III-IV (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.28-4.85) were independent risk factors for unsuccessful pessary fitting. Among the patients with successful pessary fitting, the median time to discontinuation of pessary use was 4 years. The most common causes of discontinued use were vaginal erosion (45.3%) and urinary incontinence (26.5%).
CONCLUSION
Patients with a history of hysterectomy and advanced-stage POP are at risk for an unsuccessful fitting of the ring pessary. Vaginal erosion is the main reason for discontinued use among patients with successful pessary fitting.
PubMed: 34897264
DOI: 10.5468/ogs.21232 -
American Journal of Obstetrics and... May 2023The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends offering a vaginal pessary to women seeking treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. However,...
BACKGROUND
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends offering a vaginal pessary to women seeking treatment of pelvic organ prolapse. However, single-institution series have suggested that a sizable proportion of women fitted with a pessary will transition to surgery within the first year.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to estimate the proportion of female US Medicare beneficiaries with pelvic organ prolapse who undergo surgery after pessary fitting, to describe the median time to surgery from pessary fitting, and to identify factors associated with the transition from pessary to surgery.
STUDY DESIGN
The Medicare 5% Limited Data Set was queried from 2011 to 2016 for women aged ≥65 years with a diagnosis of prolapse who underwent pessary fitting. Cases with at least 3 years of follow-up in the Medicare Data Set were followed longitudinally for the primary outcome of surgery for prolapse. The cumulative incidence of prolapse surgery following index pessary fitting was calculated. Characteristics of women who underwent surgery and those who did not were compared using time-varying Cox regression analysis.
RESULTS
Among 2032 women fitted with a pessary, 608 underwent surgery within 7 years. The median time to surgery was 496 days (interquartile range, 187-1089 days). The cumulative incidence of prolapse surgery was 12.2% at 1 year and 30.9% at 7 years. After adjusting for covariates, factors significantly associated with the transition to surgery included previous prolapse surgery (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.50; 1.09-2.07) and a diagnosis of urinary incontinence at the time of pessary fitting (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.20; 0.62-0.99). Factors associated with a lower hazard of surgery included age (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.96 per year; 95% confidence interval, 0.95-0.97), dual Medicare/Medicaid eligibility (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.56-1.00), and pessary fitting by a nongynecologist (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.99).
CONCLUSION
In this population of Medicare beneficiaries, within 7 years of pessary fitting, almost one-third of women aged >65 years underwent surgery for prolapse. These results add to our current understanding of the demographics of pessary use in an older population and may aid in counseling older patients presenting for treatment of symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse.
Topics: Aged; Female; Humans; United States; Medicare; Pessaries; Pelvic Organ Prolapse; Regression Analysis; Proportional Hazards Models; Seizures
PubMed: 36627074
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.01.006 -
Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology :... Jun 2022To evaluate the effect of cervical pessary, as a strategy to prevent preterm birth (PTB), on the outcome of subsequent pregnancy and maternal quality of life 4 years... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of cervical pessary, as a strategy to prevent preterm birth (PTB), on the outcome of subsequent pregnancy and maternal quality of life 4 years after the index twin pregnancy.
METHODS
Between 2009 and 2012, the ProTWIN trial randomized women with a multiple pregnancy to pessary use vs standard care for the prevention of PTB. The trial showed no benefit in unselected women with a twin pregnancy, but showed a 60% reduction in poor perinatal outcomes in favor of the pessary group in the subgroup of women with a mid-trimester short cervix (cervical length < 38 mm). All women were invited to participate in a follow-up study 4 years after their participation in the ProTWIN trial. In this follow-up study, maternal quality of life was assessed using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire and women were asked separate questions about subsequent pregnancies. Results were compared between women who were randomized to the pessary vs the control group in the ProTWIN trial by calculating relative risk (RR) and 95% CI. Subgroup analysis was performed for women with a mid-trimester short cervix (cervical length < 38 mm).
RESULTS
Of the 813 women included in the ProTWIN trial, 408 (50.2%) participated in this follow-up study, comprising 228 randomized to the pessary group and 180 to the control group in the original trial. The median interval between participation in the ProTWIN trial and participation in this follow-up study was 4.1 (interquartile range (IQR), 3.9-7.1) years. Ninety-eight (24.0%) participants tried to conceive after their participation in the ProTWIN trial. Of those, 22 (22.4%) women did not have a subsequent pregnancy (no difference between pessary and control groups), seven (7.1%) women had at least one miscarriage but no live birth, and 67 (68.4%) women had at least one live birth (35 in the pessary vs 32 in the control group; RR, 0.93 (95% CI, 0.8-1.07)). In two women, the pregnancy outcome was unknown. Preterm delivery (< 37 weeks of gestation) of the first live birth occurred in three women in the pessary vs one woman in the control group (all singleton; RR, 2.57 (95% CI, 0.28-23.44)). No differences were found between the pessary and control groups in the subgroup of women with mid-trimester short cervix, but the numbers analyzed were small. The median health state index score was 0.95 (IQR, 0.82-0.95), with no difference between the pessary and control groups.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that there are no long-term effects of pessary use on the outcome of subsequent pregnancies and maternal quality of life. Data on obstetric outcome were limited due to the small numbers. © 2021 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Topics: Cervix Uteri; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Pessaries; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Twin; Premature Birth; Quality of Life
PubMed: 34826166
DOI: 10.1002/uog.24821 -
International Urogynecology Journal Sep 2023The objective was to compare the location and motion of pessaries between women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) with a successful (fitting) and unsuccessful...
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS
The objective was to compare the location and motion of pessaries between women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) with a successful (fitting) and unsuccessful (non-fitting) pessary treatment on dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI).
METHODS
A cross-sectional exploratory study of 15 women who underwent a mid-sagittal dMRI of the pelvic floor at rest, during contraction and during Valsalva with three different types of pessaries. The coordinates of the pessaries cross section, inferior pubic point (IPP) and sacrococcygeal junction (SCJ) were obtained and the location (position, orientation) and the motion (translation and rotation) were calculated. Differences between the groups and between the pessaries within the groups were compared.
RESULTS
Nine women with a fitting pessary and 6 women with a non-fitting pessary were selected. In the non-fitting group, the pessaries were positioned more caudally and rotated more in clockwise direction and descended more, but not significantly, during Valsalva compared with the fitting group. The Falk pessary was positioned more anteriorly in the fitting group and more cranially in the non-fitting group compared with the ring and ring with support pessary.
CONCLUSIONS
A non-fitting pessary was positioned more caudally at rest; on Valsalva, it rotated more clockwise and moved more caudally, suggesting that the dynamic characteristics of the pessary might play an important role in its effectiveness. Findings of this study serve as a basis for the development of new pessary designs.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pessaries; Cross-Sectional Studies; Vagina; Pelvic Organ Prolapse; Urinary Bladder Diseases
PubMed: 37119269
DOI: 10.1007/s00192-023-05555-9 -
Scientific Reports Nov 2022Pelvic organ prolapse affects up to 50% of parous women. Commonly used treatment options have unwelcome attributes; pessaries can cause erosion and estrogen creams need...
Pelvic organ prolapse affects up to 50% of parous women. Commonly used treatment options have unwelcome attributes; pessaries can cause erosion and estrogen creams need to be applied frequently, which is inconvenient and difficult to administer. This study involved the development of an estriol-releasing pessary utilising 3D printing molds. We incorporated varying amounts of estriol (1%, 10% and 15%) into the silicone pessary. We optimised the mechanical aspects of the pessary so it had a similar strength to commercially available pessaries. We investigated estriol release from the pessary over 3 months. We explored possible interactions between the drug and polymers via FTIR. The MED-4870 silicone ring with similar mechanical strength to pessaries currently used to treat pelvic organ prolapse. The medical pessaries present a sustained release in simulated vaginal fluid over 3 months. The pessary with 10% estriol delivered the optimal dose at 0.8 mg each week. Mechanical strength of this pessary showed no difference after emersion in simulated vaginal fluid for 3-month, supporting the long-term application. An estriol-loaded pessary was successfully developed to treat pelvic organ prolapse with sustained release of estriol over 3 months. This pessary provides promising potential to treat pelvic organ prolapse and vaginal atrophy.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pessaries; Delayed-Action Preparations; Pelvic Organ Prolapse; Estriol; Silicones
PubMed: 36414726
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23791-9 -
Cureus Jan 2024Preterm births are a significant concern, as they can have serious consequences for both infants and mothers. It is crucial to identify risk factors associated with... (Review)
Review
Preterm births are a significant concern, as they can have serious consequences for both infants and mothers. It is crucial to identify risk factors associated with preterm birth and to implement effective interventions, such as progesterone, cervical pessary, and cervical cerclage, to prevent it. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of cervical pessary in reducing spontaneous preterm delivery. However, cervical pessaries have limited research and conflicting findings when compared to other interventions for preventing preterm labor. Therefore, this review seeks to analyze various studies to evaluate their overall effectiveness and better understand their role in treating this vulnerable population. The literature search was conducted using PubMed between January and September 2023, and the systematic review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The results of this review highlight the importance of continued research into mitigation strategies for preterm birth. There is some evidence that indicates that using cervical pessaries before 34 weeks can be effective. While some studies have reported positive outcomes when cervical pessaries are combined with other treatments like progesterone, there is no solid statistical evidence to support this claim. Furthermore, additional research is needed to comprehend the impact of singleton pregnancies and long-term outcomes for both mothers and infants.
PubMed: 38187016
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.51775 -
The Medical Journal of Malaysia Nov 2023Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a condition involving weakened pelvic floor muscles causing organs to protrude. Conservative POP treatment comprises pelvic floor...
INTRODUCTION
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a condition involving weakened pelvic floor muscles causing organs to protrude. Conservative POP treatment comprises pelvic floor exercises and vaginal pessaries. Besides conservative care, surgery is offered. However, surgery is invasive, risky and unsuitable for those with serious medical conditions. This study aims to assess the acceptance, success and outcomes of the Gellhorn pessary for POP treatment, especially in advanced cases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The present study is a retrospective cohort study using hospital medical records (patient files) from October 2019 to November 2021 (for 2 years). This study was performed in Malaysian women (n=53) suffering from advanced stages of POP, in which Gellhorn pessaries of diameter (44-76mm) were inserted by trained personnel. Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) and Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7) were used to measure patients' symptoms and quality of life before and after Gellhorn pessary fitting. Patients were reassessed every three months for two years and their satisfaction scores were recorded.
RESULTS
We observed a significant difference in pre-test (pre-fitting) and post-test (three months post-fitting) scores on all three subscales and the PFIQ-7 total score. Twentyeight (52.83%) patients continued the use of Gellhorn pessary for at least 24 months, whereas 25 (47.20%) patients discontinued during this period. A retrospective analysis of the patients who discontinued Gellhorn pessary showed that 13 (24.52%) patients gave up the use of pessary for definitive surgery. It is noteworthy to mention here that only one out of the 13 patients who were awaiting surgery, chose surgery and the remaining 12 changed their mind after being fitted with the Gellhorn pessary. Seven (13.20%) patients declined reinsertion due to discomfort and voiding difficulties and refused further intervention, whereas three (5.66%) patients requested a ring pessary. Two (3.77%) patients, requested the removal of pessary due to vesicovaginal fistula and rectovaginal fistula (caused by an impacted pessary). The rate of continued use was 79.24% (42 patients) after 1st year and 52.83% (28 patients) at the end of two years.
CONCLUSION
In the current study, the Gellhorn pessary was used to treat stage 3 and 4 POP with significant symptom reduction post-fitting. More than half of the patients continued to use the pessary after 24 months of fitting. Therefore, the Gellhorn pessary can be used as a treatment strategy for stage 3 and 4 POP with reasonable acceptance in the Malaysian population.
Topics: Humans; Female; Retrospective Studies; Pessaries; Quality of Life; Pelvic Organ Prolapse; Pelvic Floor
PubMed: 38031210
DOI: No ID Found -
BMJ Open Jul 2022Pelvic 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... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Pelvic 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 unwilling to self-manage their pessary. At present, there is a lack of understanding about what affects willingness to self-manage a pessary. However, there may be relevant, transferable findings from other literature about barriers to the self-management of other chronic conditions. Therefore, this systematic review aims to identify, appraise and synthesise the findings of published qualitative research exploring the barriers and facilitators to self-management of chronic conditions reported by women.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS
The systematic review will be conducted and reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and a guide for the systematic review of qualitative data. A search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase and PsycInfo will be undertaken to identify relevant articles that meet the eligibility criteria using the search terms 'Women', 'Woman' 'Female,' 'Chronic', 'Long-term', 'Disease', 'Illness', 'Condition' 'Health,' 'Self-management,' 'Qualitative,' 'Barrier' and 'Facilitator'. A hand search of the reference list of non-original research identified during the search but excluded will be conducted for additional publications, which meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies published before 2005 and those not available in English will be excluded. Data relevant to the topic will be extracted and critical appraisal of all included publications undertaken.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION
No ethical or Health Research Authority approval is required to undertake the systematic review. The systematic review findings will be disseminated by publication. The findings will also inform subsequent exploratory work regarding pessary self-management.
PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER
CRD42022327643.
Topics: Chronic Disease; Female; Humans; Qualitative Research; Research Design; Self-Management
PubMed: 35858726
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-061655