title: The correlation of urethral mobility and point Aa of the pelvic organ prolapse quantification system before and after surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of pelvic floor surgery on Q-tip angle and point Aa of the pelvic organ prolapse quantification system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A clinical database was used for this retrospective review of Q-tip and prolapse measurements before and after pelvic floor surgery. Subanalyses of isolated bladder neck and prolapse surgeries were also performed. Correlations between Q-tip and point Aa were assessed with Pearson and Spearman coefficients and the Z statistic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlations between Q-tip and point Aa for all 350 women were not significantly different before and after the operation (r = 0.45 vs 0.49; P = .50). Subanalysis of the bladder neck-only group demonstrated similarly fair correlations (r = 0.26 vs 0.31; P = .71; n = 94). The prolapse-only group demonstrated better overall correlation without significant differences before and after the operation (r = 0.78 vs 0.51; P = .10; n = 26).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Point Aa does not reflect bladder neck mobility accurately as measured by the Q-tip angle after surgical restoration of the pelvic anatomy.
authors.affiliation: University of California San Diego Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosencrantz
authors.forename: Shawn A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Menefee
authors.forename: Emily S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lukacz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000601:surgery; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014521:Urethra / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000503:physiopathology; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*