title: The effect of anterior vaginal wall prolapse on urethral pressure profile.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether anterior vaginal wall prolapse will cause a decrease in urethral pressure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred ninety-four patients with uterovaginal prolapse served as study cases. In addition, 127 patients without uterovaginal prolapse were included as controls. The urethral pressure profile measurement was performed using a microtransducer and the fluid-bridge method with the patient in the lithotomy position. The parameters of the urethral pressure profile and its associated variables were compared between the control and study groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proximal portion of urethral pressure and the resting and stress urethral closure pressures in women with anterior vaginal wall prolapse were significantly lower than those of the control group. An indentation segment (or a plateau pressure zone) in the proximal portion of the urethral pressure profile curve was noted in patients with anterior vaginal wall prolapse, especially for stage I (64.2%) and stage II (73.0%). Anterior vaginal wall prolapse and genuine stress incontinence had a statistically significant odds ratio for predicting the presence of an indentation segment (or a plateau pressure zone) in the proximal portion of the urethral pressure profile curve (1.58 and 3.19, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An indentation segment (or a plateau pressure zone) of the proximal portion of the urethral pressure profile curve was observed in most of our patients with anterior vaginal wall prolapse. Defects in the anterior vaginal wall supports may attenuate the proximal urethral support, and these defects will contribute to a reduction in the proximal urethral pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
authors.forename: Gin Den
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: YiChing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hong Shen
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Long Yau
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D011312:Pressure; D014160:Transducers, Pressure; D014521:Urethra / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014563:Urodynamics; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology