E-Posters-10259

10259_Schachar

Pdf Summary

This study aimed to determine whether pre-operative pelvic floor muscle (PFM) weakness predicts the recurrence of anterior vaginal wall prolapse (AVWP) following native tissue reconstructive surgery. The retrospective review included 299 patients who underwent surgery for AVWP between 2001 and 2015. The failure rates were determined by a composite of subjective and objective outcomes, and PFM strength was scored using a modified Oxford scale. The three groups of patients included those with absent PFM (aPFM), weak PFM (wPFM), and good PFM (gPFM). The mean follow-up time was similar for all groups at 143.9 weeks. <br /><br />The study found that patients with aPFM pre-operatively had higher rates of AVWP recurrences. The primary outcome of composite failures showed that the aPFM group had significantly more AVWP failures compared to the wPFM and gPFM groups. However, only a small percentage of patients specifically complained of prolapse symptoms, and re-operations for AVWP were rare. The overall failure rate for AVWP after surgery was 38%, with 20% reporting subjective awareness and 5% requiring repeat surgery.<br /><br />The study highlights the importance of assessing PFM strength pre-operatively as a potential predictor of AVWP recurrence. It also emphasizes the need for standardized techniques to quantify PFM contraction. The findings support existing evidence that preoperative prolapse stage is a significant risk factor for recurrence, but PFM weakness may also play a role.<br /><br />In conclusion, this study suggests that pre-operative PFM weakness is a risk factor for AVWP recurrence following native tissue reconstructive surgery. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between PFM strength and AVWP outcomes and to develop interventions to improve PFM function and reduce recurrence rates.

Keywords

pre-operative pelvic floor muscle weakness

recurrence

anterior vaginal wall prolapse

native tissue reconstructive surgery

composite outcomes

absent PFM

weak PFM

good PFM

prolapse symptoms

risk factor