title: Biomechanical properties of prolapsed vaginal tissue in pre- and postmenopausal women.
abstract: The aim of this study was to biomechanically assess vaginal tissue from pre- and postmenopausal women with symptomatic prolapse. Vaginal tissue was collected at the time of surgery in women with symptomatic prolapse. Tissue specimens were biomechanically assessed by a purpose-built tissue puller system and stress-strain curves were digitally recorded. Tissue was stretched at a constant rate of 0.8 mm/s to an elongation of 8 mm. A force-stiffness relationship was obtained. All data were normalized for length and cross-sectional area of the specimens. Tissues from the anterior vaginal wall were analyzed in 10 postmenopausal and 8 premenopausal women. The mean age of the postmenopausal women was 69 years, compared to 41 years for premenopausal women. Pre- and postmenopausal groups show very little or no difference regarding elongation or long-term tissue deformation. A significantly higher elastic modulus was observed in postmenopausal vaginal tissue. This is most likely an age-related phenomenon. Apart from this, pre- and postmenopausal vaginal tissue showed few differences in biomechanical assessment.
authors.affiliation: Gold Coast Hospital, Southport, Queensland, Australia. jtwgoh@hotmail.com
authors.forename: J T W
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Goh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D017697:Premenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000503:physiopathology*