Pelvic floor function in women undergoing isolated pelvic organ prolapse surgery or combined with urinary incontinence correction: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic floor dysfunctions are highly prevalent among women, yet many remain unaware of their condition. While conservative treatment is the first-line approach for urinary incontinence, surgical intervention is often necessary in severe cases. However, its effectiveness becomes less predictable when incontinence is associated with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). This cohort study aimed to evaluate pelvic floor muscle function in women undergoing surgical correction of POP, either alone or in combination with urinary incontinence repair.

METHODS: Women aged 18 to 65 years with no prior history of POP or urinary incontinence surgery were enrolled and divided into two groups: an isolated POP group (POPg, N.=47) and a group with urinary incontinence associated with POP (UI+POPg, N.=53). A blinded researcher evaluated participants at three time points: before surgery, three months postoperatively, and twelve months postoperatively. Assessments included manometry, the Urogenital Distress Inventory, the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory, and the Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventor.

RESULTS: The results demonstrated improvements in pelvic floor muscle function across both groups, emphasizing the positive impact of surgical intervention on pelvic floor performance in women with POP, regardless of the presence of urinary incontinence.

CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic floor muscle performance and symptoms in women treated surgically for pelvic organ prolapse whether isolated or accompanied by urinary incontinence correction showed comparable improvement throughout the 12-month follow-up.