Urodynamic Changes in Pelvic Organ Prolapse and the Role of Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a major health problem of the "elderly" lady. The urological changes associated with POP and the beneficial effects of surgery on these changes continues to be controversial. We studied the urodynamic changes in POP and the effect of definitive surgery on these changes.

METHODS: A total of 50 cases of POP, over a two year period, were subjected to urodynamic studies both pre and postoperatively and the data analyzed, to ascertain the effect of surgery on the urological profile of a patient with POP.

RESULT: Four of the 50 patients studied had demonstrable stress urinary incontinence and two of these benefited significantly after surgery. In addition it was observed that four new patients developed stress urinary incontinence (SUI) postoperatively. It was also observed that the values of Qmax significantly improved after surgery from 9.2ml/s to 18.6ml/s.

CONCLUSION: Definitive surgery improves the urological profile of the patient with POP, to a certain extent. A good clinical examination of patients with POP from the urological viewpoint, is essential preoperatively, to pick up the patients who are likely to develop stress incontinence postoperatively, so that corrective action can be initiated during surgery.