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Defining success after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Barber, MD; Brubaker, L; Nygaard, I; Wheeler, TL; Schaffer, J; Chen, Z; Spino, C; Pelvic Floor Disorders Network,
Published in: Obstet Gynecol
September 2009

OBJECTIVES: To describe pelvic organ prolapse surgical success rates using a variety of definitions with differing requirements for anatomic, symptomatic, or re-treatment outcomes. METHODS: Eighteen different surgical success definitions were evaluated in participants who underwent abdominal sacrocolpopexy within the Colpopexy and Urinary Reduction Efforts trial. The participants' assessments of overall improvement and rating of treatment success were compared between surgical success and failure for each of the definitions studied. The Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to identify significant differences in outcomes between success and failure. RESULTS: Treatment success varied widely depending on definition used (19.2-97.2%). Approximately 71% of the participants considered their surgery "very successful," and 85.2% considered themselves "much better" than before surgery. Definitions of success requiring all anatomic support to be proximal to the hymen had the lowest treatment success (19.2-57.6%). Approximately 94% achieved surgical success when it was defined as the absence of prolapse beyond the hymen. Subjective cure (absence of bulge symptoms) occurred in 92.1% while absence of re-treatment occurred in 97.2% of participants. Subjective cure was associated with significant improvements in the patient's assessment of both treatment success and overall improvement, more so than any other definition considered (P<.001 and <.001, respectively). Similarly, the greatest difference in symptom burden and health-related quality of life as measured by the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Impact Questionnaire scores between treatment successes and failures was noted when success was defined as subjective cure (P<.001). CONCLUSION: The definition of success substantially affects treatment success rates after pelvic organ prolapse surgery. The absence of vaginal bulge symptoms postoperatively has a significant relationship with a patient's assessment of overall improvement, while anatomic success alone does not. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Obstet Gynecol

DOI

ISSN

0029-7844

Publication Date

September 2009

Volume

114

Issue

3

Start / End Page

600 / 609

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Visceral Prolapse
  • Uterine Prolapse
  • Surgical Mesh
  • Retreatment
  • Quality of Life
  • Pelvic Floor
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Humans
 

Citation

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Barber, M. D., Brubaker, L., Nygaard, I., Wheeler, T. L., Schaffer, J., Chen, Z., … Pelvic Floor Disorders Network, . (2009). Defining success after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse. Obstet Gynecol, 114(3), 600–609. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181b2b1ae
Barber, Matthew D., Linda Brubaker, Ingrid Nygaard, Thomas L. Wheeler, Joeseph Schaffer, Zhen Chen, Cathie Spino, and Cathie Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. “Defining success after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.Obstet Gynecol 114, no. 3 (September 2009): 600–609. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181b2b1ae.
Barber MD, Brubaker L, Nygaard I, Wheeler TL, Schaffer J, Chen Z, et al. Defining success after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse. Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Sep;114(3):600–9.
Barber, Matthew D., et al. “Defining success after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.Obstet Gynecol, vol. 114, no. 3, Sept. 2009, pp. 600–09. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181b2b1ae.
Barber MD, Brubaker L, Nygaard I, Wheeler TL, Schaffer J, Chen Z, Spino C, Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. Defining success after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse. Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Sep;114(3):600–609.
Journal cover image

Published In

Obstet Gynecol

DOI

ISSN

0029-7844

Publication Date

September 2009

Volume

114

Issue

3

Start / End Page

600 / 609

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Visceral Prolapse
  • Uterine Prolapse
  • Surgical Mesh
  • Retreatment
  • Quality of Life
  • Pelvic Floor
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Humans