Unusual Perils of Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

BACKGROUND

Prolapse can be treated with expectant management, pessary, or surgery. Although we consider the first two options benign, rare but serious complications can arise. CASE 1: A 64-year-old presented with recurrent grade 4 prolapse. After 6 months of expectant management, she developed a fistula from an ulcerated area of the prolapse into the peritoneal cavity. CASE 2: An 81-year-old who diligently cared for her ring pessary for 18 years presented with a vesicovaginal fistula. CASE 3: An 80-year-old with a longstanding pessary who stopped using vaginal estrogen for 2 years before developing a vesicovaginal fistula.

CONCLUSION

Management of prolapse expectantly and with pessaries are effective treatments, especially to avoid surgery, but can present with their own unusual and infrequent complications, such as fistula formation.