Are women with pelvic organ prolapse at a higher risk of developing hernias?
OBJECTIVE
Pelvic organ prolapse and hernia are common disorders which share several pathopysiological and epidemiological features. We therefore aimed to assess whether women with advanced pelvic organ prolapse have a higher prevalence of hernia.


METHODS
We reviewed charts of women undergoing surgery for advanced pelvic organ prolapse and compared them to age-matched controls with mild or no prolapse.


RESULTS
We identified 60 patients who underwent surgery for advanced pelvic organ prolapse and 60 controls. The total prevalence of hernias was significantly higher among patients with pelvic organ prolapse (31.6% vs. 5%, p = 0.0002), attributed to hiatal (16.6% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.004) and inguinal (15% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.04) hernias.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with advanced pelvic organ prolapse have a higher prevalence of hiatal and inguinal hernias. This finding may be explained by similar pathophysiological mechanisms shared by both disorders.
Segev
Yakir
Y
Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carmel Medical Center, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion University, 7 Michal St, Haifa, 34362, Israel. segevyakir@yahoo.com
Auslender
Ron
R
Feiner
Benny
B
Lissak
Arie
A
Lavie
Ofer
O
Abramov
Yoram
Y
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006547:Hernia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence