Mifuka Ouchi1,2, Takeya Kitta1, Shigeyuki Suzuki3, Nobuo Shinohara1, Kumiko Kato4. 1. Department of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. 2. Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, HealthSciences University of Hokkaido, Tobetsu, Japan. 3. Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan. 4. Department of Female Urology, Japanese Red Cross Nagoya First Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
Abstract
AIM: The hiatal anterior-posterior distance (APD), as measured by two-dimensional (2D) transperineal ultrasonography, is an indicator of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contractility. The function of the pelvic floor is independently related to pelvic organ prolapse (POP) severity. However, little evidence concerning the APD for patients with POP before and after PFM training (PFMT) has been published. Therefore, we analyzed 2D transperineal ultrasonography in women with POP. METHODS: Twenty-eight women with POP completed a physiotherapist-led PFMT regimen that consisted of 4 months of one-on-one PFMT and lifestyle advice. The APD was measured using 2D transperineal ultrasonography immediately before and after the PFMT period and used to calculate ΔAPD (APD at rest-APD during contraction). Vaginal squeeze pressure during maximum voluntary contractions was also assessed using a manometer. We then analyzed the reliability and the correlation between ΔAPD as measured using 2D transperineal ultrasonography and vaginal squeeze pressure before and after PFMT. RESULTS: The APD at rest and during PFM contractions demonstrated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of 0.89 and 0.88, respectively. The ICC of maximal vaginal squeeze pressure was 0.97 during PFM contractions. Both ΔAPD (P < 0.01) and PFM strength (P < 0.05) increased significantly after PFMT. PFM strength and ΔAPD were correlated before (R = 0.53) and after (R = 0.68) PFMT (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that dynamic 2D transperineal ultrasonography could be used for studying functional changes in patients with POP. The ΔAPD of the levator hiatus has potential as an anatomical surrogate marker for evaluating PFM function in hospitals.
AIM: The hiatal anterior-posterior distance (APD), as measured by two-dimensional (2D) transperineal ultrasonography, is an indicator of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contractility. The function of the pelvic floor is independently related to pelvic organ prolapse (POP) severity. However, little evidence concerning the APD for patients with POP before and after PFM training (PFMT) has been published. Therefore, we analyzed 2D transperineal ultrasonography in women with POP. METHODS: Twenty-eight women with POP completed a physiotherapist-led PFMT regimen that consisted of 4 months of one-on-one PFMT and lifestyle advice. The APD was measured using 2D transperineal ultrasonography immediately before and after the PFMT period and used to calculate ΔAPD (APD at rest-APD during contraction). Vaginal squeeze pressure during maximum voluntary contractions was also assessed using a manometer. We then analyzed the reliability and the correlation between ΔAPD as measured using 2D transperineal ultrasonography and vaginal squeeze pressure before and after PFMT. RESULTS: The APD at rest and during PFM contractions demonstrated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of 0.89 and 0.88, respectively. The ICC of maximal vaginal squeeze pressure was 0.97 during PFM contractions. Both ΔAPD (P < 0.01) and PFM strength (P < 0.05) increased significantly after PFMT. PFM strength and ΔAPD were correlated before (R = 0.53) and after (R = 0.68) PFMT (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that dynamic 2D transperineal ultrasonography could be used for studying functional changes in patients with POP. The ΔAPD of the levator hiatus has potential as an anatomical surrogate marker for evaluating PFM function in hospitals.
Authors: Wenjin Cheng; Emily English; Whitney Horner; Carolyn W Swenson; Luyun Chen; Fernanda Pipitone; James A Ashton-Miller; John O L DeLancey Journal: Int Urogynecol J Date: 2022-09-21 Impact factor: 1.932