title: Potential relevance of pre-operative quality of life questionnaires to identify candidates for surgical treatment of genital prolapse: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate prolapse-related symptoms, quality of life and sexuality of patients with validated questionnaires before and after surgery for genital prolapse and assess relevance of such an evaluation to select women for surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  From November 2009 to April 2010, 16 patients operated on for genital prolapse of grade greater than or equal to 2 (POP-Q classification) were evaluated prospectively by three questionnaires of quality of life Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20), Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ-7) and Pelvic Organ Prolaps/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12). Data were collected the day before surgery and 6 weeks postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven patients had laparoscopic surgery and five vaginal surgery. There was a significant decrease in pelvic heaviness, vaginal discomfort and urinary symptoms after surgery. The score of symptoms of prolapse, the PFDI-20 score was 98.5 preoperatively and 31.8 postoperatively (p < 0.0001). The score for quality of life, the PFIQ-7 score was 54.5 preoperatively and 7.4 postoperatively (p = 0.001). The score of sexuality, the PISQ-12 score was 35.3 preoperatively and 37.5 postoperatively (p = 0.1). Two of the 3 patients with a PFIQ 7 under or equal to 20 were not improved while all the women with a preoperative PFIQ-7 over 20 were improved after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that surgery improves quality of life of patients with genital prolapse. Quality of life questionnaires could help select good candidates for surgery. Further studies are required to determine threshold to standardize indications of surgery.
authors.affiliation: Service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 6, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chauvin
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chéreau
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ballester
authors.forename: Emile
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Daraï
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods*; D018579:Patient Selection; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000601:surgery*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome