Urogynaecolpgy Flashcards
What type of disease is cystocele?
Pelvic organ prolapse
Prolapse is the result of weakness and lengthening of the ligaments and muscles surrounding the uterus, rectum and bladder.
Epidemiology of pelvic floor disorders
20% of adult women experience regular incontinence
10% will have surgery for prolapse
< 10% anal incontinence
Increase with age, parity, obesity, smoking…
What is cystocele caused by?
Cystoceles are caused by a defect in the anterior vaginal wall, allowing the bladder to prolapse backwards into the vagina.
What is prolapse of both the bladder and the urethra?
Cystourethrocele
What are the risk factors for cystocele?
- Multiple vaginal deliveries
- Instrumental, prolonged or traumatic delivery
- Advanced age and postmenopause status
- Obesity
- Chronic respiratory disease causing coughing
- Chronic constipation causing straining
Presentation of cystocele?
- A feeling of “something coming down” in the vagina
- A dragging or heavy sensation in the pelvis
- Urinary symptoms, such as incontinence, urgency, frequency, weak stream and retention
- Bowel symptoms, such as constipation, incontinence and urgency
- Sexual dysfunction, such as pain, altered sensation and reduced enjoyment
- Women may have identified a lump or mass in the vagina, and often will already be pushing it back up themselves.
How do we examine for cystocele?
patient should empty their bladder and bowel before examination of a prolapse. When examining for pelvic organ prolapse, various positions may be attempted, including the dorsal and left lateral position.
Sim’s speculum is a U-shaped, single-bladed speculum that can be used to support the anterior or posterior vaginal wall while the other vaginal walls are examined. It is held on the anterior wall to examine for a rectocele, and the posterior wall for a cystocele
women can be asked to cough or “bear down” to assess the full descent of the prolapse.
What are the grades of uterine prolapse using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) system?
Grade 0: Normal
Grade 1: The lowest part is more than 1cm above the introitus
Grade 2: The lowest part is within 1cm of the introitus (above or below)
Grade 3: The lowest part is more than 1cm below the introitus, but not fully descended
Grade 4: Full descent with eversion of the vagina
What is the conservative management for Cystocele?
- Physiotherapy (pelvic floor exercises)
- Weight loss
- Lifestyle changes for associated stress incontinence, such as reduced caffeine intake and incontinence pads
- Treatment of related symptoms, such as treating stress incontinence with anticholinergic mediations
- Vaginal oestrogen cream
When is conservative management used for cystocele?
Conservative management is appropriate for women that are able to cope with mild symptoms, do not tolerate pessaries or are not suitable for surgery
How can a vaginal pessary help with cystocele?
Vaginal pessaries are inserted into the vagina to provide extra support to the pelvic organs. They can create a significant improvement in symptoms and can easily be removed and replaced if they cause any problems.
What are the different types of pessaries?
- Ring pessaries are a ring shape, and sit around the cervix holding the uterus up
- Shelf and Gellhorn pessaries consist of a flat disc with a stem, that sits below the uterus with the stem pointing downwards
- Cube pessaries are a cube shape
- Donut pessaries consist of a thick ring, similar to a doughnut
- Hodge pessaries are almost rectangular. One side is hooked around the posterior aspect of the cervix and the other extends into the vagina.
How can surgery help with cystocele?
definitive option for treating a pelvic organ prolapse. It is essential to consider the risks and benefits of any operation for each individual, taking into account any co-morbidities. There are many methods for surgical correction of a prolapse, including hysterectomy.
What are the possible complications of pelvic organ prolapse surgery?
- Pain, bleeding, infection, DVT and risk of anaesthetic
- Damage to the bladder or bowel
- Recurrence of the prolapse
- Altered experience of sex
What is the definition of Pelvic organ prolapse?
● Herniation of one more pelvic organ into the vagina.
What is the normal anatomy of the pelvis?
- Level 1 support:
- Uterosacral ligaments - extend posteriorly from cervix / upper vagina to the sacral spine.
- Level 2 support:
- Arcus tendineus fasciae pelvis (ATFP) - runs from ischial spines to pubic tubercle, attaching to
sheets of suspensory ‘slings’ of fascial tissue e.g. pubovesicocervical fascia. - Level 3 support:
- Perineal body - fibromuscular mass, point of attachment for pelvic muscles.
- Pubourethral ligaments.
- Pelvic floor - (levator ani and coccygeus muscles).
What is the pathophysiology by type?
- Uterosacral ligament weakness - uterine prolapse
- ATFP weakness - cystocele, rectocele
- Pubourethral ligament weakness - urethrocele
What is the aetiology of pelvic organ prolapse?
● Loss of sufficient support for pelvic organs due to multiple factors including pregnancy,
vaginal delivery and pelvic surgery.
What are the risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse?
- Vaginal delivery (risk increased with increasing parity) - damage to nerves, muscles and
fascia - Increasing age - reduced elasticity of connective tissue
- High BMI - raised intra-abdominal pressure
What are the types of pelvic organ prolapse?
- Uterine prolapse - descent of cervix +/- uterus into the vagina.
- Urethrocele - prolapse of the urethra into anterior vaginal wall.
- Cystocele - prolapse of bladder into anterior vaginal wall.
- Rectocele - prolapse of rectum into posterior vaginal wall.
- Enterocele - prolapse of the small bowel through the Pouch of Douglas into the posterior
vault of the vagina.
What are the signs of pelvic organ prolapse?
are seen on speculum examination:
○ Uterine - descended cervix / uterus
○ Vaginal (urethrocele, cystocele, rectocele, enterocele) - protrusion into vaginal
vault anteriorly, anteriorly, posteriorly, posteriorly respectively.
What are the symptoms of different types of pelvic organ prolapse?
○ Uterine - vaginal pressure, dyspareunia, feeling of something descending into the
vagina.
○ Urethrocele - stress incontinence.
○ Cystocele - recurrent UTI, difficulty passing urine.
○ Rectocele - difficulty defecating.
○ Enterocele - dragging sensation.
What are the investigations for pelvic organ prolapse?
● Typically diagnosed clinically based on characteristic symptoms and signs.
What are the conservative management options for pelvic organ prolapse?
○ Pelvic floor exercises.
○ Avoidance of triggers e.g. heavy lifting, straining in constipation.
○ Weight loss, if overweight.
○ Topical oestrogen (counteracts urogenital atrophy - see Menopause).
○ Pessaries
What are some surgical options for pelvic organ prolapse?
○ Uterine - options include hysterectomy, sacro-hysteropexy (mesh), Manchester
repair.
○ Vaginal vault - options include sacrospinous fixation, sacro-colpopexy (mesh).
History, examination, investigations and treatment for utero-vaginal prolapse?
History
‘SCD’ Lump, discomfort, pelvic floor & sexual dysfunction
Examination
Bimanual & Sims speculum
Investigations
Usually none
Treatment
Reassurance & advice, treat pelvic floor symptoms, pessary, surgery
What are the types of vaginal pessaries
Shelf
Ring
Gellhorn
When do we repair prolapse?
Symptomatic
(dyspareunia, discomfort, obstruction, bothersome)
Severe
(outside vagina, ulcerated, failed conservative measures)
What is the definition of urinary incontinence?
● Involuntary passage of urine.
How do we assess incontinence in women
Symptoms and investigations