A comparison of women with primary and recurrent pelvic prolapse.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to identify clinically relevant differences in women with primary and recurrent pelvic organ prolapse.


METHODS
Consecutive women undergoing reconstructive surgery completed a urogynecologic history and physical examination and underwent either multichannel urodynamic testing or pelvic floor fluoroscopy, or both. Two groups were compared: primary (no prior surgery for pelvic organ prolapse) and recurrent.


RESULTS
One hundred eighty-one consecutive women were studied-103 with primary and 78 with recurrent prolapse. The groups were similar with respect to age, race, weight, vaginal parity, prolapse stage, urodynamic diagnosis, extent of visceral malposition, and common urinary, anorectal, and sexual symptoms. Clinically relevant differences were found, with the recurrent group having shorter vaginal lengths (P =. 0005), being more likely to have had a hysterectomy for a nonprolapse indication (P =.00018) and to be receiving hormone replacement therapy (P =.00003).


CONCLUSIONS
The women with primary and recurrent pelvic organ prolapse in this population were remarkably similar in many quantifiable parameters measured. The clinical differences may be related to previous surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.
Kenton
K
K
Section of Urogynecology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Sadowski
D
D
Shott
S
S
Brubaker
L
L
D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006547:Hernia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D017698:Postmenopause; D011391:Prolapse; D020047:Rectocele / Q000453:epidemiology; D012008:Recurrence; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D014549:Urinary Incontinence; D014621:Vagina / Q000473:pathology