Richard C. Bump

The standardization of terminology of female pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic floor dysfunction

This article presents a standard system of terminology recently approved by the International Continence Society, the American Urogynecologic Society, and the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons for the description of female pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic floor dysfunction. An objective site-specific system for describing, quantitating, and staging pelvic support in women is included. It has been developed to enhance both clinical and academic communication regarding individual patients and populations of patients. Clinicians and researchers caring for women with pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic floor dysfunction are encouraged to learn and use the system.

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND NATURAL HISTORY OF PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION

Pelvic floor dysfunction, including urinary incontinence, anal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse, is extremely common, affecting at least one-third of adult women. A minority of patients sustaining these conditions volunteer their symptoms. Risk factor identification and the development of tactics for prevention are significant priorities for future research. Understanding both the specific predisposing factors that place an individual woman at risk and the precise events of the labor and delivery process that initiate injury and dysfunction is important for primary prevention. Defining the relative importance of various promoting and decompensating factors is essential for secondary prevention.

Sexual function in women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse

OBJECTIVE To compare sexual function in women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse and to determine the effects of therapy on sexual function. METHODS 343 community‐dwelling women older than 45 years with urinary incontinence or advanced prolapse were recruited into a multi‐armed clinical trial. Women with incontinence were stratified to receive estrogen therapy, behavioral therapy, or surgical therapy. Women with prolapse were enrolled in a randomized surgical trial. All women completed a standardized urogynecologic evaluation and a sexual function questionnaire at baseline and after therapy. RESULTS Women with prolapse or detrusor instability were more likely to cite pelvic floor symptoms as a reason for sexual inactivity than were women with other conditions. One third of patients with prolapse reported that their pelvic floor condition affected their ability to have sexual relations “moderately” or “greatly” significantly more than did other groups. Patients with genuine stress incontinence who underwent surgical or behavioral therapy were less likely to report being worried about urine leakage during intercourse after therapy than at baseline. After surgery, women with prolapse were less likely to report that their symptoms affected their ability to have sexual relations compared with baseline. Overall sexual satisfaction was the same at baseline and remained unchanged in all therapeutic groups at 6 months. CONCLUSION Prolapse is more likely than urinary incontinence to result in sexual inactivity and to be perceived as affecting sexual relations. However, overall sexual satisfaction appears to be independent of diagnosis of or therapy for urinary incontinence or prolapse.

Obesity and lower urinary tract function in women: effect of surgically induced weight loss.

OBJECTIVE The subjective and objective effects of massive weight loss on lower urinary tract function in morbidly obese women were examined. STUDY DESIGN Thirteen subjects underwent a comprehensive evaluation of lower urinary tract function before and 1 year after surgically induced weight loss. RESULTS We demonstrated significant improvements in lower urinary tract function after weight loss. Of 12 subjects who complained of incontinence before surgery only three complained of incontinence (p = 0.004) and only one requested treatment after weight loss. Objective and subjective resolution of both stress and urge incontinence was documented. Statistically significant changes were seen in measures of vesical pressure, the magnitude of bladder pressure increases with coughing, bladder-to-urethra pressure transmission with cough, urethral axial mobility, number of incontinence episodes, and the need to use absorptive pads. CONCLUSION Weight reduction is desirable for obese women complaining of urinary incontinence and may obviate the need for further incontinence therapy.

Interobserver and intraobserver reliability of the proposed International Continence Society, Society of Gynecologic Surgeons, and American Urogynecologic Society pelvic organ prolapse classification system ☆ ☆☆ ★

OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to determine the intraobserver and interobserver reliability of site-specific measurements and stages with the proposed international Continence Society, Society of Gynecologic Surgeons, and American Urogynecologic Society 1994 draft prolapse terminology document. STUDY DESIGN Women who completed informed consent procedures underwent pelvic examinations by two investigators, each blinded to the results of the others examination. The reproducibility of the nine site-specific measurements and the summary stage and substage were analyzed with Spearmans correlation coefficient (rs) and Kendel tau B Correlation Coefficient (tau b), respectively. Similar analyses were performed on supine and upright examinations performed at two different times by one examiner. RESULTS Experienced examiners averaged 2.05 minutes per examination and new examiners averaged 3.73 minutes. In the study of interobserver reliability, 48, subjects, mean age 61 +/- 14 years, parity 3 +/- 2, weight 74 +/- 31 kg, comprised the study population. Correlations for each of the nine measurements were substantial and highly significant (rs 0.817, 0.895, 0.522, 0.767, 0.746, 0.747, 0.913, 0.514, and 0.488, p = 0.0008 to < 0.0001). Staging and substaging were highly reproducible (tau b 0.702 and 0.652). In no subject did the stage vary by more than one; in 69% stages were identical. In the study of intraobserver reliability, for 25 subjects correlations for each of the nine measurements were equally strong (rs 0.780, 0.934, 0.765, 0.759, 0.859, 0.826, 0.812, 0.659, 0.431). Measurements from the upright examinations reflected greater prolapse. Staging and substaging were highly reproducible (tau b 0.712 and 0.712). In no subject did the stage vary by more than one; in 64% stages were identical. All stage discrepancies represented an increase in the upright position. CONCLUSIONS There is good reproducibility of measures with the proposed system. The data suggest that the reliability is independent of examiner experience. Patient position is likely important in maximizing the severity of the prolapse.

Comparative efficacy of behavioral interventions in the management of female urinary incontinence

OBJECTIVE We compared the efficacy of bladder training, pelvic muscle exercise with biofeedback-assisted instruction, and combination therapy, on urinary incontinence in women. The primary hypothesis was that combination therapy would be the most effective in reducing incontinent episodes. STUDY DESIGN A randomized clinical trial with three treatment groups was conducted in gynecologic practices at two university medical centers. Two hundred and four women diagnosed with genuine stress incontinence (n = 145) and/or detrusor instability (n = 59) received a 12-week intervention program (6 weekly office visits and 6 weeks of mail/telephone contact) with immediate and 3-month follow-up. Outcome variables included number of incontinent episodes, quality of life, perceived improvement, and satisfaction. Data analyses consisted of analysis of covariance using baseline values as covariates and chi2 tests. RESULTS The combination therapy group had significantly fewer incontinent episodes, better quality of life, and greater treatment satisfaction immediately after treatment. No differences among groups were observed 3 months later. Women with genuine stress incontinence had greater improvement in life impact, and those with detrusor instability had less symptom distress at the immediate follow-up; otherwise, no differences were noted by diagnosis, incontinence severity, or treatment site. CONCLUSIONS Combination therapy had the greatest immediate efficacy in the management of female urinary incontinence regardless of urodynamic diagnosis. However, each of the 3 interventions had similar effects 3 months after treatment. Results suggest that the specific treatment may not be as important as having a structured intervention program with education, counseling, and frequent patient contact.

Duloxetine vs placebo in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence: a four-continent randomized clinical trial.

To further assess, in a phase 3 study, treatment with duloxetine for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in other geographical regions, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Finland, Poland, South Africa and Spain, as previous trials in North America and Europe provided evidence for the safety and efficacy of duloxetine as a pharmacological treatment for SUI in women.

Factors associated with women's decisions to seek treatment for urinary incontinence

BACKGROUND Urinary incontinence is a highly prevalent and burdensome condition among women. However, fewer than half of women with symptoms talk to a physician about incontinence, and the determinants of treatment seeking are not well understood. DESIGN A two-stage cross-sectional survey of adult U.S. women; 45,000 households participating in NFO Worldgroup survey research received a questionnaire to identify adults with incontinence. Based on stratified random sampling of identified incontinent women, 2310 women received a detailed questionnaire. RESULTS Among 1970 women with urinary incontinence symptoms, 38% had initiated a conversation with a physician about incontinence. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, some of the factors associated significantly with treatment seeking were symptom duration >3 years (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.57-3.45), having a history of a noticeable accident (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.06-1.87), worse disease-specific quality of life scores (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.32-2.70), not being embarrassed to talk with a physician about urinary symptoms (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.28-2.14), talking with others about urinary incontinence (OR 3.34, 95% CI 2.49-4.49), and keeping regular appointments for routine/preventive care (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.54-3.29). CONCLUSIONS Less than half of community-dwelling adult U.S. women with symptoms of urinary incontinence have talked with a physician about urinary incontinence. In addition to duration of symptoms, factors associated with treatment seeking included the impact of incontinence on quality of life, lack of embarrassment about talking to a physician about urinary symptoms, and attitudes toward healthcare use. Concerns about the meaning of incontinence for overall and future health were important reasons for women choosing to seek treatment.

Duloxetine versus placebo in the treatment of European and Canadian women with stress urinary incontinence

Objective  To assess the efficacy and safety of duloxetine in women with stress urinary incontinence.

Abdominal sacral colpoperineopexy: A new approach for correction of posterior compartment defects and perineal descent associated with vaginal vault prolapse☆☆☆★

OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to assess a modification of abdominal sacral colpopexy in 19 patients. STUDY DESIGN The rectovaginal space was dissected to the superior aspect of the posterior vaginal fascia still contiguous with the perineal body. Mersilene (Ethicon, Somerville, N.J.) mesh was sutured to this fascia and along the entire posterior vaginal wall. Patients with vault prolapse, perineal descent, and associated rectoceles or enteroceles are reported. Outcome measures included bowel symptoms and pelvic organ prolapse staging. Defecography was performed in three patients. Wilcoxon signed rank analysis was used for comparison of prolapse measures. RESULTS Mean follow-up was 11 weeks. Bowel symptoms improved in 8 of 11 women. No subjects had greater than stage II prolapse postoperatively and median improvement in stage was 3 (range 2 to 4). The mean decrease in the genital hiatus measurement was 3.13 +/- 1.25 (range 2 to 6) cm. Postoperative defecography documented correction of rectoceles and enteroceles and improvement in perineal descent with straining. CONCLUSIONS Abdominal sacral colpoperineopexy is effective surgery for vaginal vault prolapse associated with perineal descent and posterior vaginal defects.