Search

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was created by Marshal Folstein et al. in 1975 as an instrument for brief (5-10 min) assessment of mental status in hospitalized patients. It is considered the most widely used test for standardized cognitive assessment in the clinical setting, especially with the elderly population. It has countless translations in different languages, and according to the different international (PubMed) and regional (SciELO, Redalyc, and Dialnet) scientific databases, it has been widely used by the scientific community. This article describes the historical evolution of the MMSE, highlights its evaluative properties, and provides bibliometric data on its impact on scientific publications, with a special focus on Ibero-America., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors report no conflict of interest.

The aim was to test the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the PIL-SF in a sample of people from seven Latin American countries. Additionally, the characteristics of the PIL-SF items were evaluated and to assess the relationship between purpose in life, as measured by the PIL-SF, and fear of COVID-19. A total of 4306 people from seven Latin American countries participated in the study. The results indicated that the PIL-SF is invariant in the seven participating countries and, therefore, there is evidence that the items reflect the purpose of life in the same way in all countries. This allows comparisons of purpose in life between countries that are free of bias, reflecting the true differences in how countries respond to items. From IRT, the discrimination parameters are adequate and indicate that the items cover a wide range of the purpose in life construct. The difficulty parameters are adequate and increase monotonically. This indicates that people would need a higher level of purpose in life to respond to the higher response categories. Thus, the PIL-SF items would be useful in determining people with a relatively high degree of purpose in life. Identifying people with different levels of purpose in life would allow them to be part of intervention programs, either to support those with low levels or to maintain and reinforce their purpose in life. The evidence of cross-country measurement invariance of the PIL-SF provides a measure to be used in cross-cultural studies about the meaning of life., Competing Interests: Competing InterestsThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2022, Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Objective: Up to 80% of all POP surgical procedures are due to anterior vaginal wall prolapse. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of transvaginal anterior mesh for POP surgical repair., Materials and Methods: 153 consecutive patients with symptomatic or recurrent anterior vaginal prolapse undergoing surgical single-incision mesh (Calistar S) were prospectively enrolled in the study. Preoperative evaluation was performed collecting urogynecological history and performing a clinical exam, 3-day voiding diary and urodynamic testing. All incontinent patients completed the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Operative time, blood loss, perioperative and postoperative complications were prospectively recorded. Postoperative follow-up was scheduled at 1, 6, and 12 months with a urogynecological interview and examination. Success rate was assessed at 1, 6 and 12 months postoperatively., Results: The median follow-up was 16.4 months. None of patients had intraoperative complications. Eight patients (5%) required surgical intervention for complications (5 patients (3%) for haematoma and 3 (2%) for vaginal erosion). At 12 months of follow up 130 out of 140 patients (93%) gained the subjective cure criterion, while 129 out of 140 patients (92%) obtained the objective cure criterion. Eleven (7.8%) patients experienced stage 2 or higher prolapse recurrence and three of them with a stage ≥3 underwent reintervention. No significant differences were recorded in primary outcome at 1, 6 or 12 months postoperatively., Conclusions: Anterior compartment prolapse repair by Calistar S (single-incision vaginal mesh) is an effective and safe procedure without significant complications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None declared., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aims: Over the past 2 years, the vaccine conspiracy beliefs construct has been used in a number of different studies. These publications have assessed the determinants and outcomes of vaccine conspiracy beliefs using, in some cases, pooled data from different countries, and compared the results across these contexts. However, studies often do not consider measurement invariance as a necessary requirement for comparative analyses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the cross-cultural MI of the COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (COVID-VCBS) in 12 Latin American countries., Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory analysis and alignment method were applied to test measurement invariance in a large number of groups., Results: The COVID-VCBS showed robust psychometric properties and measurement invariance for both factor loadings and crosstabs. Also, a higher level of acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about vaccines is necessary to respond to higher response categories. Similarly, greater acceptance of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines was related to a lower intention to be vaccinated., Conclusion: The results allow for improved understanding of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines in the countries assessed; furthermore, they provide researchers and practitioners with an invariant measure that they can use in cross-cultural studies in Latin America. However, further studies are needed to test invariance in other countries, with the goal of developing a truly international measure of conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Caycho-Rodríguez, Valencia, Ventura-León, Vilca, Carbajal-León, Reyes-Bossio, White, Rojas-Jara, Polanco-Carrasco, Gallegos, Cervigni, Martino, Palacios, Moreta-Herrera, Samaniego-Pinho, Lobos-Rivera, Figares, Puerta-Cortés, Corrales-Reyes, Calderón, Tapia, Arias Gallegos and Petzold.)

Purpose: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) related to pelvic organ prolapse represents a common condition that negatively impacts female sexual activity. Laparoscopic pelvic organ prolapse surgery (POPs) and the anterior repair with a trocar-less trans-vaginal mesh (TTMs) represent two different surgical techniques to treat SUI secondary to POP. This study aimed to report the results of these techniques comparing the sexual and functional outcome improvement., Materials and Methods: Fifty-nine sexually active female patients, complaining of urodynamic stress incontinence, were enrolled in this prospective study, and simply randomized in two groups: 29 POPs and 30 TTMs. All patients were studied at baseline and 6 months after surgery. Preoperative evaluation included medical history, urodynamic test, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and pelvic magnetic resonance defecography. Six months after surgery, all patients completed the FSFI and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) and were investigated with a uroflowmetry test with post-void residual volume (PVR)., Results: At 6 months after surgery, 87% of POPs patients and 79% of TTMs subjects resulted dry. No statistically significant results were obtained in terms of urinary outcomes between the two surgical groups. Regarding sexual function, POPs group exhibited a significant greater improvement of global FSFI (mean: 27.4; SD: 4.31) compared to TTMs group (mean FSFI: 23.56; SD: 2.28; p-value ≤ 0.0001)., Conclusions: Our results indicated that POPs and TTMs lead to satisfactory and safe functional outcomes with a good recovery of urinary continence. Furthermore, POPs, when compared to TTMs, led to a greater improvement of sexual function., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Conspiracy theories about COVID-19 began to emerge immediately after the first news about the disease and threaten to prolong the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by limiting people's willingness of receiving a life-saving vaccine. In this context, this study aimed to explore the variation of conspiracy beliefs regarding COVID-19 and the vaccine against it in 5779 people living in 13 Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) according to sociodemographic variables such as gender, age, educational level and source of information about COVID-19. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic between September 15 and October 25, 2021. The Spanish-language COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (ECCV-COVID) and a sociodemographic survey were used. The results indicate that, in most countries, women, people with a lower educational level and those who receive information about the vaccine and COVID-19 from family/friends are more supportive of conspiracy ideas regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. In the case of age, the results vary by country. The analysis of the responses to each of the questions of the ECCV-COVID reveals that, in general, the countries evaluated are mostly in some degree of disagreement or indecision regarding conspiratorial beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines. The findings could help open further study which could support prevention and treatment efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Caycho-Rodríguez, Ventura-León, Valencia, Vilca, Carbajal-León, Reyes-Bossio, White, Rojas-Jara, Polanco-Carrasco, Gallegos, Cervigni, Martino, Palacios, Moreta-Herrera, Samaniego-Pinho, Lobos Rivera, Buschiazzo Figares, Puerta-Cortés, Corrales-Reyes, Calderón, Pinto Tapia, Arias Gallegos and Petzold.)

The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) was recently developed to assess dysfunctional anxiety related to COVID-19. Although different studies reported that the CAS is psychometrically sound, it is unclear whether it is invariant across countries. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the measurement invariance of the CAS in twelve Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay). A total of 5196 people participated, with a mean age of 34.06 (SD = 26.54). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the measurement invariance of the CAS across countries and gender. Additionally, the graded response model (GRM) was used to provide a global representation of the representativeness of the scale with respect to the COVID-19 dysfunctional anxiety construct. The unidimensional structure of the five-item CAS was not confirmed in all countries. Therefore, it was suggested that a four-item model of the CAS (CAS-4) provides a better fit across the twelve countries and reliable scores. Multigroup CFA showed that the CAS-4 exhibits scalar invariance across all twelve countries and all genders. In addition, the CAS-4 items are more informative at average and high levels of COVID-19 dysfunctional anxiety than at lower levels. According to the results, the CAS-4 is an instrument with strong cross-cultural validity and is suitable for cross-cultural comparisons of COVID-19 dysfunctional anxiety symptoms in the general population of the twelve Latin American countries evaluated., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-02563-0., Competing Interests: Competing InterestNone, (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021.)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the construct validity based on the internal structure, the relationship with other variables, and the internal consistency among items of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in a sample of 743 Ecuadorians. The findings confirm the presence of a bifactor structure, which includes a general factor and two specific factors: one emotional and the other physiological. The general factor, and the specific factors presented adequate levels of internal consistency. Finally, the FCV-19S showed a highly significant relationship with GAD-7 at the latent level. The scale has adequate psychometric properties for its application.

The objective was to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in 7 Latin American countries (Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay). The participants were 2944 people, selected through non-probability sampling for convenience, where the majority were women. Data collection occurred between 12 June and 14 September 2020. The results indicated that the model with two related factors presents a better fit to the data and has partial scalar invariance among the 7 countries. Differences in emotional and physiological reactions were observed between the countries.

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Scale of Fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S) in a sample of 1,291 Argentines. The two-related factor structure of the FCV-19S had satisfactory goodness-of-fit indices using structural equation modeling and item response theory. Further results showed that the reliability was adequate, the factor structure was strictly invariable across age groups, and the model that evaluated the relationships between fear of COVID-19, anxiety, and depression had adequate goodness of fit indices as well. The results indicated that FCV-19S has strong psychometric properties to measure fear of COVID-19 in the general population of Argentina.

This work addresses the origin and development of post-COVID-19 syndrome, which consists of the persistence of different symptoms over time as a consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Based on a narrative review of the scientific literature, a brief analysis of the new term is made, specifying the conceptual definition, characteristic symptoms, the various implications for people's health, and the responses to specific care measures that have been implemented. It concludes with a wake-up call to the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean in order for care and surveillance to be provided to this public health problem., (Copyright: © 2022 Permanyer.)

The invariance of the Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale (PCIBS) was evaluated in 12 Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay). A total of 5183 people from the aforementioned countries participated, selected using the snowball sampling method. Measurement invariance was assessed by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) and Multi-Group Factor Analysis Alignment (CFA-MIAL). In addition, item characteristics were assessed based on Item Response Theory. The results indicate that the original five-item version of the PCIBS is not adequate; whereas a four-item version of the PCIBS (PCIBS-4) showed a good fit in all countries. Thus, using the MG-CFA method, the PCIBS-4 achieved metric invariance, while the CFA-MIAL method indicated that the PCIBS-4 shows metric and scalar invariance. Likewise, the four items present increasing difficulties and high values in the discrimination parameters. The comparison of means of the PCIBS-4 reported irrelevant differences between countries; however, Mexico and Peru presented the highest frequency of preventive behaviors related to COVID-19. It is concluded that the PCIBS-4 is a unidimensional self-report measure which is reliable and invariant across the twelve participating Latin American countries. It is expected that the findings will be of interest to social and health scientists, as well as those professionals directly involved in public health decision making., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Caycho-Rodríguez, Vilca, Valencia, Carbajal-León, Vivanco-Vidal, Saroli-Araníbar, Reyes-Bossio, White, Rojas-Jara, Polanco-Carrasco, Gallegos, Cervigni, Martino, Palacios, Moreta-Herrera, Samaniego-Pinho, Lobos-Rivera, Ferrari, Flores-Mendoza, Figares, Puerta-Cortés, Corrales-Reyes, Calderón, Tapia and Gallegos.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has gravely impacted Latin America. A model was tested that evaluated the contribution of socio-demographic factors and fear of COVID-19 on anxiety and depression in samples of residents in seven Latin American countries (Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, and El Salvador). A total of 4,881 individuals, selected by convenience sampling, participated in the study. Moderate and severe levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety were identified, as well as a moderate average level of fear of COVID-19. In addition, it was observed that about a quarter of the participants presented symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and a major depressive episode. Fear of COVID-19 significantly and positively predicted anxiety and depressive symptoms, whereas the effects of socio-demographic variables are generally low [χ 2 (287) = 5936.96, p < 0.001; RMSEA = 0.064 [0.062, 0.065]; CFI = 0.947; and SRMR = 0.050]. This suggests the need for the implementation of preventive actions in the general population of these countries, with the aim of reducing the prevalence of depressive, anxious and fearful symptoms related to COVID-19., Competing Interests: OR was employed by company Sensorium Corp. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Caycho-Rodríguez, Tomás, Vilca, Carbajal-León, Cervigni, Gallegos, Martino, Barés, Calandra, Anacona, López-Calle, Moreta-Herrera, Chacón-Andrade, Lobos-Rivera, del Carpio, Quintero, Robles, Lombardo, Recalde, Figares, White and Videla.)

Introduction: Cognitive reserve is the brain's capacity to actively overcome damage by means of pre-existing cognitive resources and compensatory processes. This capacity is enhanced by education, occupational attainment, learning languages and the habit of reading, among other important factors. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of Rami et al's Cognitive Reserve Questionnaire in an Argentinian population., Materials and Methods: The sample that participated in the study comprised 203 Argentinian adult volunteers from the general population (mean age, 66.1; standard deviation, 8.1). The Cognitive Reserve Questionnaire was administered together with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Confirmatory factor analysis was carried out to test the unidimensionality of the questionnaire. In addition, reliability was estimated by the categorical omega coefficient and associative validity was analysed by means of bivariate correlations., Results: Factor analysis confirms the unidimensionality of the questionnaire with good fit indices. Items 5 (musical training) and 8 (intellectual games), however, show low factor loadings. The test has acceptable reliability, with a categorical omega coefficient = 0.72, although it should be noted that the average variance extracted (0.41) is below the recommended criterion of 0.5. Good associative validity is observed: r (200) = 0.4; p < 0.001., Conclusions: The Cognitive Reserve Questionnaire is an instrument with acceptable psychometric properties for use in an Argentinian population. More research is required to further investigate the low factor loadings of items 5 and 8 and to strengthen the evidence of reliability.

Purpose of the Meeting: Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis is a prevalent but underserved disease. At the Global Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome Society (GIBS) meeting, the organization and participants were committed to delivering word-class expertise and collaboration in research and patient care. Under the umbrella of GIBS, leading research scholars from different backgrounds and specialties, as well as clinicians, from across the globe interested in the science and art of practice of Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS)/Interstitial Cystitis (IC) were invited to deliberate on various dimensions of this disease. The meeting aimed to have global guidelines to establish firm directions to practicing clinicians and patients alike on the diagnosis and treatment of this disease entity. Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS) is defined by pain in the pelvic area that can have different etiologies. This can be due to urologic, gynecologic, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, neurologic, and autoimmune or rheumatologic diseases. At the GIBS meeting held in Mumbai, India, in August 2019, a multidisciplinary expert panel of international urologists, gynecologists, pain specialists, and dietitians took part in a think tank to discuss the development of evidence-based diagnostic and treatment algorithms for BPS/IC., Summary of Presented Findings: The diagnosis of BPS/IC is difficult in daily clinical practice. Patients with BPS/IC present with a variety of signs and symptoms and clinical test results. Hence, they might be misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed, and the correct diagnosis might take a long time. A good history and physical examination, along with cystoscopy, is a must for the diagnosis of IC/BPS. For the treatment, besides lifestyle management and dietary advice, oral medication and bladder instillation therapy, botulinum toxin, and sacral neuromodulation were discussed. The innovation in bladder instillation applicators, as well as battery-free neuromodulation through the tibial nerve, was discussed, as well., Recommendation for Future Research: As BPS/IC is complex, for many patients, several treatments are necessary at the same time. This was presented at GIBS 2019 as the piano model. In this way, a combination of treatments is tailored to an individual patient depending on the symptoms, age, and patients' characteristics. In the art of medicine, especially when dealing with BPS/IC patients, pressing the right key at the right time makes the difference., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interests: Dr. Taneja: The organization committee of GIBS; Dr. Rahnama'i: The consultant for Dr. Pfleger, Astellas, Janssen en Biones, (Copyright © 2020, Author(s).)

Introduction: This study investigated perioperative and mid-term clinical outcomes after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSCP) with light titanium-coated polypropylene (TCP) mesh in a large group of patients affected by International Continence Society stage II-IV pelvic organ prolapse (POP)., Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 217 patients treated with LSCP using TCP mesh. We aimed to (1) analyze the intra- and postoperative complication rates according to the ICS/IUGA Complication Classification Code guidelines, (2) evaluate the anatomical results and (3) assess postoperative patient satisfaction with the Patient Global Impression Improvement questionnaire. Nonparametric Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, χ2 test and Fisher's exact test were used where appropriate., Results: The intraoperative complications were two (0.9%) cases of hemorrhage, two (0.9%) cases of incidental cystotomy and four (1.8%) cases of incidental colpotomy. During the postoperative follow-up, we recorded mesh exposure in 3 (1.4%) out of 217 patients. These 3 patients were from a group of 22 women who underwent vaginal opening during surgery, while in the remaining 195 patients without incidental colpotomy, no mesh exposure was observed (13.6% vs. 0.0%, p < 0.001). No failure of the apical compartment was observed, while 3 (1.4%) out of 217 patients experienced isolated anterior recurrence, and 1 (0.4%) patient had isolated posterior recurrence. All patients reported PGI-I scores ≥ 3, and 209 patients (96.3%) had a PGI-I score ≥ 2., Conclusions: The use of light TCP mesh is safe and effective during LSCP for POP repair from both an anatomical and a functional point of view, posing a very low postoperative mesh-related complication risk.

Objectives: There is confusion about the terms of bladder pain syndrome (BPS) and Interstitial Cystitis (IC). The European Society for the Study of IC (ESSIC) classified these according to objective findings [9]. One phenotype, Hunner lesion disease (HLD or ESSIC 3C) differs markedly from other presentations. Therefore, the question was raised as to whether this is a separate condition or BPS subtype. Methods: An evaluation was made to explore if HLD differs from other BPS presentations regarding symptomatology, physical examination findings, laboratory tests, endoscopy, histopathology, natural history, epidemiology, prognosis and treatment outcomes. Results: Cystoscopy is the method of choice to identify Hunner lesions, histopathology the method to confirm it. You cannot distinguish between main forms of BPS by means of symptoms, physical examination or laboratory tests. Epidemiologic data are incomplete. HLD seems relatively uncommon, although more frequent in older patients than non-HLD. No indication has been presented of BPS and HLD as a continuum of conditions, one developing into the other. Conclusions: A paradigm shift in the understanding of BPS/IC is urgent. A highly topical issue is to separate HLD and BPS: treatment results and prognoses differ substantially. Since historically, IC was tantamount to Hunner lesions and interstitial inflammation in the bladder wall, still, a valid definition, the term IC should preferably be reserved for HLD patients. BPS is a symptom syndrome without specific objective findings and should be used for other patients fulfilling the ESSIC definitions.

Objective: to evaluate the mid-term safety and efficacy of a surgical technique using an anchorless implant., Study Design: This is a prospective study. Women with symptomatic POP were recruited. The technique involved placement of an open trapezoid-shaped frame which retains a polypropylene mesh stretched within its parameter. No fixation techniques used. Demographic data and pre-operative quality of life (QoL) questionnaires were collected. Peri-operative data were documented. Patients were followed at 2, 6, 12, 24 and 36 months. Follow-up included repeated QoL questionnaires, Pelvic Organ Prolapse- Quantification (POP-Q) measurements and assessment for possible complications., Results: Seventy women were recruited. Mean age was 63.1 years, mean parity was 4.6 deliveries. Mean pre-operative POP-Q were Ba = 3.1 (-1 to 6) cm and C = 0.4 (-8 to 6) cm. No intra-operative complications were observed. Surgical time averaged 24.7 min. Estimated blood loss averaged 155 cc. Mean follow up at last visit was 27.7 months. Two patients (2.8 %) underwent partial frame resection and two patients (2.8 %) underwent a TVT-O for de-novo stress urinary incontinence (SUI). At follow-up, the mean POP-Q were Ba= -2.8 (-3 to -1) cm and C = -6.8 (-10 to 1) cm. Two patients (2.8 %) had recurrent prolapse. One was symptomatic and received treatment. No mesh erosion or chronic pelvic pain were documented. Pelvic Function Distress Inventory (PFDI20) scores showed significant improvement. Thirty-eight (54 %) patients completed the Pelvic organ prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ12) showing no chronic dyspareunia., Conclusion: The Self Retaining Support (SRS) implant provides 97 % subjective and 94.3 % objective cure. Two patients (2.8 %) had the implant's frame removed surgically. The SRS is a safe and effective treatment for pelvic organ prolapse., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The FIGO Working Group (FWG) in Pelvic Floor Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (2012-2015) established a consensus among international opinion leaders in evaluating current evidence and providing practice recommendations., Objectives: To provide an update of the previous clinical opinion report on conservative and surgical treatment of posterior compartment prolapse., Search Strategy: Search of evidence was performed using Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to August 2018., Selection Criteria: Controlled trials on posterior colporrhaphy, site-specific defect, transanal, abdominal, laparoscopic, and mesh repair., Data Collection and Analysis: Collective consensus on surgical outcomes was based on a decision-making process during meetings and multiple group consultations., Main Results: Basic evaluation and conservative treatment precede surgical management. Surgical techniques are performed by vaginal, transperineal, transanal, abdominal, or laparoscopic approach. The transvaginal surgical route without mesh appears superior to the transanal route. No conclusions can be drawn based on clinical studies or randomized controlled trials of posterior colporrhaphy and laparoscopic rectopexy., Conclusions: Management of rectocele should include patients' history, quality of life questionnaires, and, in case of complex anorectal symptoms, imaging and functional studies. Evidence on the best type of posterior vaginal wall repair is still scarce. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the best approach to achieve safe, effective, and long-term anatomical and functional outcomes., (© 2019 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Introduction and Hypothesis: The present video shows a rare case of erosion through the full rectal wall into the rectum after a transperineal implant of a double-arm polypropylene kit., Methods: A 70-year-old woman underwent a transperineal implant of a double-arm polypropylene kit. One year after surgery, she developed bothersome symptoms in the posterior perineum including heaviness, pain and rectal bleeding during defecation. A clinical examination showed the presence of a part of the prothesis traversing the rectal cavity. A minimally invasive transanal approach was performed to remove the mesh and restore the rectal integrity., Results: This surgical technique demonstrates rectal mesh removal with a transanal approach., Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is a rare complication of rectal erosion of a posterior transperineal mesh kit. The aim of this video is to show a complete transanal approach to treating this serious complication avoiding the more invasive and traumatic abdominal procedure.

Aims: To present a rationale for the inclusion of urothelial coating dysfunction in the etipathogenesis of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) and the preclinical and clinical evidence in support of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) replenishment therapy in the treatment of BPS/IC, supplemented by the clinical experience of medical experts in the field and patient advocates attending a symposium on GAG replenishment at ESSIC'17, the annual Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Bladder Pain Syndrome, held in Budapest, Hungary in 2017., Results: The urothelial GAG layer has a primary role in providing a permeability barrier to prevent penetration of urinary toxins and pathogens into the bladder wall. Disruption of the GAG layer contributes to the development of BPS/IC. The evidence shows that replenishment of GAGs can restore the GAG layer in BPS/IC, reducing inflammation, pain, and other symptoms., Conclusions: Although data from large randomized controlled studies are limited, long clinical observation and the experience of clinicians and patients support the beneficial effects of intravesical GAG replenishment therapy for providing symptomatic relief for patients with BPS/IC., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) associated with standard drug therapies for neuropathic pain that does not respond to pharmacological treatment alone in patients with Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis (BPS/IC). Secondary goals were to assess the effects of rTMS on Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) and Quality of Life (QOL)., Methods: Fifteen patients with BPS/IC were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, sham stimulation-controlled, crossover study. Patients were treated for 2 weeks with either real-rTMS (for five consecutive days in 20-min sessions) or sham-rTMS (for five consecutive days in 20-min sessions). After a 6-week washout period, the patients who had previously undergone real-rTMS underwent sham-rTMS, and vice versa. Patients were rated at each visit by means of questionnaires on pain, urinary disturbances, depression, and QOL., Results: The statistical analysis revealed significant effects of real-rTMS, when compared with sham-rTMS, on pain (in the VAS, Functional Neuropathic Pelvic Pain, Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory, McGill questionnaire, and Central Sensitization Inventory), urinary LUTS (in the Overactive Bladder Questionnaire score, bladder emptying, and daily urinary frequency), and QOL (in the subscores of the SF-36 related to physical pain and to emotional status). No serious adverse events were reported during the study., Conclusions: The results of this study show that rTMS applied with an H-coil over the M1 in the area corresponding to the pelvic region in patients with BPS/IC appears to improve chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and associated urinary disorders., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Introduction and Hypothesis: Uterovaginal prolapse treatment is a challenge for the urogynecologist. Surgical management for apical prolapse can be successful with native tissue and uterosacral ligament (USL) fixation. However, some complications have been described, especially with use of the vaginal approach. The aim of this video is to describe an alternative laparoscopic approach to a traditional vaginal procedure to reduce nerve injury and ureteral complications., Methods: A 75-year-old woman was referred to our unit for symptomatic stage III apical prolapse and underwent laparoscopic USL fixation, according to the technique described herein., Results: This surgical technique was successful in correcting apical prolapse., Conclusions: This video tutorial may be useful to urogynecologists for improving surgical technique, thus leading to a reduction in the risk of nerve and ureteral complications. The technique offers the possibility of a correct under-vision suture positioning. Laparoscopic USL fixation can be safely performed to treat apical prolapse.

Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) is a chronic bladder condition characterized by frequent urination, bladder inflammation and pain. It is a particular challenging disease and a clear unmet medical need in terms of identifying new therapeutic strategies. The aim of study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of intravesical Vessilen ® (a new formulation of 2% adelmidrol (the diethanolamide derivative of azelaic acid) + 0.1% sodium hyaluronate) administration in rodent models of IC/BPS and in IC/BPS patients or other bladder disorders. Acute and chronic animal models of cystitis were induced by a single or repetitive intraperitoneal injections of cyclophosphamide (CYP); patients with IC/BPS or with bladder pain syndrome associated with symptoms of the lower urinary tract treated once weekly by bladder instillation of Vessilen ® for 8 weeks. CYP instillation caused macroscopic and histological bladder alterations, inflammatory infiltrates, increased mast cell numbers, bladder pain, increased expression of nitrotyrosine, decreased expression of endothelial tight junction zonula occludens-1. Intravesical Vessilen® treatment was able to ameliorate CYP induced bladder inflammation and pain by inhibiting nuclear factor-κB pathway and inflammatory mediator levels as well as reduced mechanical allodynia and nerve growth factor levels. A significant improvement in quality of life and symptom intensity were evident in patients with IC/BPS or other bladder disorders treated with Vessilen ® . Vessilen ® could be a new therapeutic approach for human cystitis., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Hypothesis: The search for an improved vaginal mesh prompted the development of a new anchorless implant. The objective was to report on outcome after 2 years of a technique using a self-retaining support (SRS) implant., Methods: Patients with anterior vaginal wall prolapse, with/without apical prolapse, were recruited. Participants underwent surgical repair using the SRS device. Demographic data, pre-surgical Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) scoring, quality of life (QoL) questionnaires (Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory Short Form 20 [PFDI-20], Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire 12 [PISQ-12]), and surgical data were collected. Patients were followed at 2 weeks, 2, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. Objective anatomical success was defined using the NIH criteria., Results: Twenty women were recruited for the study with an average age of 62.1 years and an average parity of 4.0 deliveries. Average BMI was 28. Pre-operative mean POP-Q measurements were Aa =1.40 (-1 to 3) cm, Ba = 2.3 (-1 to 6) cm and C = 0.4 (-7 to 6) cm. Surgical time averaged 31.2 min. Estimated blood loss averaged 165 ml. No intra-operative complications were observed. One case (5%) of frame erosion was documented 8 months after surgery. At 2 years' follow-up, mean POP-Q measurements were: Aa = -2.95 (-3 to -2) cm, Ba = -2.85 (-3 to -2) cm, and C point -6.90 (-10 to -3) cm. Seventeen (85%) patients had stage 0 and 3 patients (15%) had stage 1. No mesh erosions or chronic pelvic pain were documented at follow-up. The total PFDI score at follow-up was decreased by 92.8 points (p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: At 2 years' follow-up, the SRS implant was found to be safe, showing no intra-operative or immediate post-operative complications. All women presented with POP-Q measurements of the anterior and apical compartment at normal value (Ba ≤ -2 cm) and statistically significant subjective improvement.

Introduction: The present study aim to compare the anatomic landmarks of two pelvic floor repair systems, in order to identify the potential neurovascular lesions related to different mesh fixation techniques., Methods: Abdominal and perineal dissections of 10 fresh cadavers after prolapse surgery using transobturator/transgluteal versus single incision techniques. Neuro-vascular structures of obturator region and perineum were isolated. Distances between needles and anatomical structures were measured., Results: During transobturator anterior repair, the superficial cannula passed 2.5 ± 0.6 cm medially to the obturator canal. The distance of superficial arm to the anterior obturator vessels was 2.2 ± 0.4 cm. The distance of deep cannula to the posterior obturator vessels branches was 1.3 ± 0.5 cm. In two of these cases we observed a lesion of posterior obturator vessels. During single incision repair the distance between the obturator canal and the superficial arms was 2.3 ± 0.7. The mean distances of superficial arms to the anterior and posterior obturator vessels were, respectively, 2.3 ± 0.5 cm and 3.2 ± 0.7 cm. During transgluteal posterior repair the distance between the cannula guide and the ischial spine was 1.7 ± 0.5 cm while it measured 2.3 ± 0.4 cm when single incision posterior device was placed., Conclusions: Anterior transobturator system presents an increased risk of posterior obturator vessels branches injury. During posterior transgluteal repair the distance of the ischio-anal fossa to sacrospinous ligament represents a way that could rule against the correct needle positioning with increased risk of pudendal lesions. Single incision approach offers an easier access to the sacrospinous ligament with lower risk of pudendal lesions., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: The aim of the study was to report our preliminary experience of supracervical 2 hysterectomy followed by sacral colpopexy performed with the Percuvance ™ PSS in terms of feasibility, effectiveness and safety., Study Design: Between Jan 2017 and Feb 2017 10 patients affected by POP were enrolled in the present study. All patients undergoing supracervical hysterectomy followed by sacral colpo-cervicopexy with the Percuvance ™ PSS., Results: The reported series consisted of 10 patients undergoing supracervical hysterectomy followed by sacral colpopexy with a median age of 63 years (range 55-71 years) and a median BMI (body mass index) of 24 (range 21-26). A median operative time of 123 min (range 103-134 min) and a median estimated blood loss (EBL) of 40 ml (range 20-60 ml) were registered. No conversions to standard laparoscopy or laparotomy were required and no intraoperative complications occurred. At the discharge all patients were completely satisfied with the cosmetic result and postoperative pain control. During 3 months urogynecological follow-up no patient showed surgical anatomic failure (>2 POP-Q stage)and the degree of overall satisfaction of the cosmetic results was confirmed by the surgeon and the patient equally., Conclusions: The PSS supracervical hysterectomy plus sacral colpopexy is a feasible and effective approach with good results in terms of operative time, cosmesis, postoperative pain and length of hospitalization., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Intravesical instillation of hyaluronic acid (HA) plus chondroitin sulfate (CS) in women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) has shown promising results. This study compared the efficacy, safety, and costs of intravesical HA/CS (Ialuril ® , IBSA) to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)., Methods: Randomized, open-label, multicenter study involving 110 women with BPS/IC. The allocation ratio (HA/CS:DMSO) was 2:1. Thirteen weekly instillations of HA (1.6%)/CS (2.0%) or 50% DMSO were given. Patients were evaluated at 3 (end-of-treatment) and 6 months. Primary endpoint was reduction in pain intensity at 6 months by visual analogue scale (VAS) versus baseline. Secondary efficacy measurements were quality of life and economic analyses., Results: A significant reduction in pain intensity was observed at 6 months in both treatment groups versus baseline (P < 0.0001) in the intention-to-treat population. Treatment with HA/CS resulted in a greater reduction in pain intensity at 6 months compared with DMSO for the per-protocol population (mean VAS reduction 44.77 ± 25.07 vs. 28.89 ± 31.14, respectively; P = 0.0186). There were no significant differences between treatment groups in secondary outcomes. At least one adverse event was reported in 14.86% and 30.56% of patients in the HA/CS and DMSO groups, respectively. There were significantly fewer treatment-related adverse events for HA/CS versus DMSO (1.35% vs. 22.22%; P = 0.001). Considering direct healthcare costs, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of HA/CS versus DMSO fell between 3735€/quality-adjusted life years (QALY) and 8003€/QALY., Conclusions: Treatment with HA/CS appears to be as effective as DMSO with a potentially more favorable safety profile. Both treatments increased health-related quality of life, while HA/CS showed a more acceptable cost-effectiveness profile., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: This cadaver study was performed in order to evaluate the feasibility and the anatomical landmarks of a Self-Retaining device, a new unanchored mesh, for the treatment of anterior and apical vaginal prolapse., Study Design: The Self-retaining device was implanted transvaginally in two cadavers. One cadaver underwent a detailed trans-abdominal dissection of the pelvis and the other cadaver, frozen after the implant placement, underwent a cross section dissection of the pelvis., Results: The location of the device was confirmed to be in appropriate anatomical position and in safe distance from any major neurovascular structures in the pelvis., Conclusion: The self-retaining implant, in its planned location, can be a safe procedure with respect to neighboring neurovascular and muscular pelvic structures. Brief summery: A cadaver study of anchorless implant for safety evaluation of the distance from vital structures. The implant found anatomically safe for use., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Laparoscopic sacral colpopexy (LSC) for pelvic prolapse is a complex procedure, characterized by long operative times and, when combined with supracervical hysterectomy, by a high risk of spreading of unsuspected cancerous tissue. The aim of the present study was to compare, in patients who underwent hysterectomy plus LSC for severe POP, different methods for cervical incision and uterine morcellation., Methods: This is a prospective single Institution randomized double-blinded clinical trial enrolling 124 patients with severe POP from June 2014 to May 2015. Patients underwent laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LSH) plus LSC for pelvic organ prolapse and were randomized in Group 1 (monopolar hook and conventional mechanical morcellator) and Group 2 (bipolar laparoscopic loop and bipolar morcellator), for supracervical incision and uterine morcellation, respectively. Our primary endpoints were the operative times and the secondary endpoints the incidence of intra- or post-operative complications., Results: A total of 50 patients for group completed the study. Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. Cervical cutting time (32 vs. 3.10 sec; P <0.01), morcellation (4.10 vs. 2.13 min; P <0.01) and operative time (131 vs. 118 min; P <0.05) resulted significantly lower in Group 2. No differences were found in terms of intra- or post-operative complications., Conclusions: Laparoscopic bipolar loop and morcellator guaranteed a faster and hemostatic tool during supracervical incision and a controlled and rotation-free uterine extraction. The significant surgical time reduction linked to these devices should be considered even more helpful and effective to perform a complex procedure represented by LSH plus LSC. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:798-802, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aim: Apical prolapse includes descent of the uterus, vagina cuff, or rarely solely of the cervix. It is estimated that women have an 11-19% life-time risk of undergoing surgery for POP. This rate is projected to increase over the next 2-3 decades. In this FIGO working group report we address the conservative and surgical treatment options for apical prolapse., Methods: The FIGO working group "Pelvic Floor Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery" describes the different treatments for apical prolapse based on the literature evidence, the cost-effectiveness, the degree of difficulty and summed them up with an experts recommendation., Results: Among the conservative treatment options, pessaries are the most successful options since centuries with a low complication rate and low costs. Among the vaginal operative procedures the sacrospinous ligament fixation (SSLF) and the uterosacral ligament suspension (USLS) show comparable outcomes and efficacy with a different, however, rather low complication pattern and a favorable cost-benefit profile. Sacrocolpopexy, independent on the open abdominal, laparoscopic, or robotic-assisted laparoscopic technique has a good durability and quality of life performance. The minimal invasive techniques are as effective as the open abdominal techniques and there is no difference in mesh exposure., Conclusion: Vaginal procedures are well described procedures with favorable outcomes and cost-benefit profiles. Sacral colpopexy has a high-effectivity; data on the route of performance and long-term outcome are awaited. The cost with mesh implants are higher compared to the operations with autologous tissue or any conservative treatment and further studies are recommended to evaluate the cure rates in the span of decades and the possible long-term mesh complications. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:507-513, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Purpose: We developed a consensus on best practice in the real-life management of patients with overactive bladder (OAB) with onabotulinumtoxin A (Onabot/A)., Methods: In March 2015, an interdisciplinary conference was convened. Eleven panelists were invited to review the literature, to present their personal experience and to respond to a number of questions from: "when do we propose Onabot/A treatment" to "when do you decide to re-inject a patient?" A summary of findings of the meeting was provided to all panelists for review and approval., Results: The following statements were agreed. Refractory OAB can be defined based on lack of adherence to first- and second-line treatments for OAB regardless of the underlying cause. Onabot/A treatment can be proposed to refractory OAB patients provided they are willing to perform intermittent catheterization if needed. Before treatment, uroflowmetry with post-void residual evaluation is needed to rule out voiding dysfunction, while urodynamics should be done in cases of complicated OAB wet. Urinary tract infection should be ruled out or treated before the injection. The injection can be performed in the endoscopy room, in an out-patient basis, with local anesthesia. Antibiotic prophylaxis should be initiated with oral drugs. A first follow-up visit should be planned 10-15 days after treatment and residual urine checked. Retreatment can be decided on patients' request, when symptoms worsen., Conclusions: This consensus document provides a guide for the management of refractory OAB patients with Onabot/A in real life. A number of questions about the effectiveness of Onabot/A in real life remain open.

Sacrocolpopexy is considered a reference operation for pelvic organ prolapse repair but its indications and technical aspects are not standardized. A faculty of urogynecology surgeons critically evaluated the peer-reviewed literature published until September 2015 aiming to produce evidence-based recommendations. PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials published in English language. The modified Oxford data grading system was used to access quality of evidence and grade recommendations. The Delphi process was implemented when no data was available. Thirteen randomized, controlled trials were identified, that provided levels 1 to 3 of evidence on various aspects of sacrocolpopexy. Sacrocolpopexy is the preferred procedure for vaginal apical prolapse (Grade A), monofilament polypropylene mesh is the graft of choice and the laparoscopic approach is the preferred technique (Grade B). Grade B recommendation supports the performance of concomitant procedures at the time of sacrocolpopexy. Grade C recommendation suggests either permanent or delayed sutures for securing the mesh to the vagina, permanent tackers or sutures for securing the mesh to the sacral promontory and closing the peritoneum over the mesh. A Delphi process Grade C recommendation supports proceeding with sacrocolpopexy after uncomplicated, intraoperative bladder or small bowel injuries. There is insufficient or conflicting data on hysterectomy (total or subtotal) or uterus preservation during sacrocolpopexy (Grade D). Sacrocolpopexy remains an excellent option for vaginal apical prolapse repair. The issue of uterine preservation or excision during the procedure requires further clarification. Variations exist in the performance of most technical aspects of the procedure., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.)

Aims: Pelvic organ prolapse occurs in 50% of parous women. Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSCP) is a common surgical procedure for restoring pelvic anatomy and function. The aim of this study is to evaluate surgical anatomy and anatomical modifications induced by standardized LSCP., Methods: Ten fresh female cadavers underwent LSCP, six subsequently underwent standard anatomical dissection, and four had sagittal anatomical dissection. Four cadavers were used as control subjects; two of them underwent standard anatomical dissection, and two had sagittal anatomical dissection., Results: Vesicovaginal space dissection resulted in an arrow-shaped space limited by the trigone and vesical branches of the uterine artery. Rectovaginal space dissection resulted in an inverted V-shaped space marked by the utero-sacral and rectovaginal ligaments, the cranial end of the perineal body and the levator ani muscle. Exposing the longitudinal vertebral ligament through a peritoneal and presacral fascia incision along the medial border of the right common iliac artery allowed the identification and the preservation of the right hypogastric nerve. The anterior mesh stretched across the proximal half of the anterior vaginal wall, and the cervix towards the sacral promontory provided excellent cervix suspension and anterior-vaginal wall support with a concomitant stretch of the pubocervical fascia. The median angle formed by the axis of the infra-levatorial vagina with the axis of the supra-levatorial vagina changed from 142° to 171° and determined the linearization-ventralization of the vaginal canal., Conclusions: LSCP can be performed in a nerve-sparing, standardized fashion, providing excellent apical suspension and anterior vaginal wall support. Neurourol. Urodynam. 35:813-818, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a debilitating chronic disease characterized by discomfort or recurrent abdominal and pelvic pains in the absence of urinary tract infections. Its symptomatology includes discomfort, increased bladder pressure, sensitivity and intense pain in the bladder and pelvic areas, increased voiding frequency and urgency, or a combination of these symptoms. For these reasons, this pathology has a very negative impact on quality of life. The etiology of IC/BPS is still not well understood and different hypotheses have been formulated, including autoimmune processes, allergic reactions, chronic bacterial infections, exposure to toxins or dietary elements, and psychosomatic factors. The finding of an effective and specific therapy for IC/BPS remains a challenge for the scientific community because of the lack of a consensus regarding the causes and the inherent difficulties in the diagnosis. The last recent hypothesis is that IC/BPS could be pathophysiologically related to a disruption of the bladder mucosa surface layer with consequent loss of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). This class of mucopolysaccharides has hydrorepellent properties and their alteration expose the urothelium to many urinary toxic agents. It has been hypothesized that when these substances penetrate the bladder wall a chain is triggered in the submucosa. In order to improve the integrity and function of the bladder lining, GAG layer replenishment therapy is widely accepted as therapy for patients with IC/BPS who have poor or inadequate response to conventional therapy. Currently, Chondroitin sulfate (CS), heparin, hyaluronic acid (HA), and pentosan polysulphate (PPS), and combinations of two GAGs (CS and HA) are the available substances with different effectiveness rates in patients with IC/BPS. There are four different commercially available products for GAG replenishment including CS, heparin, HA and PPS. Each product has different concentrations and dosage formulations. Recently, a combination of CS and HA is the latest commercially available product with promising results.

Objectives: Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis, a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder, is the source of pain in over 30% of female patients with chronic pelvic pain. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the most frequent associations between bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis and gynecological disorders., Methods: A literature review of the previous 10 years was carried out to evaluate the incidence of gynecological diseases in patients with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis., Results: Hypertonic pelvic floor dysfunction with associated voiding dysfunction can be present in bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis patients. It has been estimated that the prevalence ranges from 50% to 87%. Endometriosis affects 1-7% of the general population and up to 70% of women with endometriosis have some type of pain symptoms, a recent systematic review estimated the prevalence of bladder pain syndrome to be 61%, of endometriosis to be 70%, and coexisting bladder pain syndrome and endometriosis to be 48%. Vulvodynia is represented by pain, or an unpleasant altered sensation, in the vulva. Women with vestibulodynia are likely to have other additional pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome or chronic fatigue syndrome. Recent data reported that vestibulodynia affects 25% of women with bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis., Conclusions: Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis is a complex pathology often associated with vulvodynia, endometriosis and pelvic floor dysfunctions. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to obtain an accurate evaluation ruling out confusable disease, such as pudendal neuropathy. The optimal approach is a combined treatment oriented not only to treat the bladder, but also the other components responsible for the pain disorder., (© 2014 The Japanese Urological Association.)

Objective: The objective of this paper is to review the more recent literature on pelvic organ prolapse (POP). A detailed Medline search was performed., Background: An understanding of the published literature is important in deciding, which surgical approach has to be used and how to counsel patients during informed consent., Findings: In the review, we analyze the various interventions for POP and provides also a survey of the current controversies and areas where knowledge is incomplete and need further evaluation for definitive answers regarding optimization of surgical care for POP. While theoretically appealing, the implantation of synthetic mesh in the pelvis may be associated with inherent adverse consequences, such as erosion, extrusion, and infection that further complicate the decision to use synthetic mesh. In addition, the routine use of these materials may carry potential long-term complications, such as dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and vaginal distortion. A final overview on the International Consultation on Incontinence and Cochrane database are reported, as recent warnings by the USA Food and Drug Administration.

Over the past decade, a huge number of new implants and ancillary devices have been introduced to the market. Most of these have become clinically available with little or no clinical data or research. This is a less-than-ideal situation, and this subgroup of the ad hoc IUGA roundtable conference wants to open the discussion to change this, by proposing a pragmatic minimum clearance track for new products being introduced to the market. It consists of an accurate and more standardized product description, data on the biological properties gathered in animal experiments, anatomical cadaveric studies, and upfront clinical studies followed by a compulsory registry on the first 1,000 patients implanted. Ideally, manufacturers should support well-designed prospective (randomized) clinical trials that can support the claimed benefits of the new product.

Introduction and Hypothesis: This is an observational multicentre prospective study into the complications and effectiveness of TVT SECUR™., Methods: One hundred forty-seven patients with urodynamic or occult Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) were enrolled. Outcome measures at 6, 12 and 24 months were: objective cough test; subjective responses to PGI-S questionnaire and Visual Analogue Score., Statistical Analysis: Wilcoxon Test; Monte Carlo Exact Test., Results: Ninety-five urodynamic SUI and 41 occult SUI patients were treated using transobturator (H-position) or retropubic (U-position) approach (110 vs. 26 patients). Cure rates at 6, 12, and 24 months were 87.5%, 88.6% and 89.5%. Failure rates at all follow-ups were similar for urodynamic and occult SUI. The U-position failure rate was comparable to H-position at short-term but significantly higher at mid-term. Familiarity with the technique brought significantly higher success rates., Conclusions: TVT SECUR is safe, effective and versatile, but has an appreciable learning curve.

Objective: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a collagen-coated polypropylene mesh with a trans-obturator approach for cystocele repair., Study Design: We considered as eligible for our study 97 patients with a stage ≥ 2 cystocele according to the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Staging System (POP-Q), with or without associated apical or posterior vaginal wall prolapse. They were also evaluated pre- and post-operatively using validated questionnaires (P-QoL, Wexner and PISQ-12). Patients underwent cystocele repair using Avaulta Biosynthetic Anterior Support System (CR Bard Inc., Billerica, USA). Objective anatomical cure was defined when points Ba, C and Bp were at stage 0 (good outcome) or stage 1 (satisfactory outcome). The McNemar chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables, the paired t-test for continuous parametric variables, and the Mann-Whitney test for continuous non-parametric variables., Results: All patients completed the 1-year follow-up. We observed an anatomical cure rate of 64.9% for anterior vaginal wall prolapse (point Ba<-1), and a statistically significant improvement in storage, voiding, post-micturition and prolapse-related symptoms. Quality of Life and sexuality were also statistically improved, while we found no impact on anorectal function. We also observed the development of vaginal mesh exposure in 21 patients (21.6%)., Conclusion: Our data suggest that the collagen-coated polypropylene mesh, as we used it, gives a high recurrence rate (35.1%) and a high exposure rate (21.6%) at one-year follow-up, and is consequently unsatisfactory for the treatment of anterior vaginal wall prolapse., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Hypothesis: Our study compared high levator myorrhaphy (HLM) and uterosacral ligament suspension (USLS) for vaginal apex fixation from both an anatomical and functional point of view, and assessed the impact of surgery on quality of life (QoL) and sexuality., Methods: Two hundred twenty-nine patients with symptomatic stage >or=2 apical prolapse were randomized to USLS or HLM. Those patients who also needed cystocele repair additionally underwent an anterior prosthetic reinforcement. We defined as cure no prolapse of stage 2 or greater in any compartments according to the POP-Q system., Results: Correction of apical prolapse was observed in 96.6% of the HLM group and 98.3% of the USLS group. However, a persistent anterior wall prolapse occurred in 29.2% of the HLM group and in 35.4% of the USLS group. Both groups reported improvement in storage, voiding, and prolapse-related symptoms. Urodynamics of patients in the HLM group showed post-operative reduction in detrusor pressure at maximum flow and an increase in maximum flow. Both groups saw similar improvement in QoL. We did not encounter any serious side effects, except for nine cases of intraoperative ureteral occlusion following USLS., Conclusion: This study demonstrates similar efficacy of HLM and USLS for vaginal apex suspension; however, USLS has a higher incidence of complications involving the upper urinary tract.

Purpose: We evaluated the long-term outcome and complications of high levator myorrhaphy for vaginal apical defects., Materials and Methods: A total of 286 patients underwent high levator myorrhaphy. Patients underwent preoperative and postoperative urogynecologic assessment, including evaluation of prolapse stage according to the international pelvic organ prolapse staging system and conventional urodynamic testing. Quality of life was evaluated using the prolapse quality of life questionnaire. We considered failure as vaginal prolapse stage 2 or greater according to the pelvic organ prolapse staging system., Results: A total of 272 patients with a mean age of 60.4 years were available for analysis. Mean followup was 5 years. In 247 patients we associated tension-free cystocele repair with Marlex mesh. In 50.7% of patients high levator myorrhaphy was done with curative intent, while in the remaining 49.3% it was a preventive measure. Complications included a rectal tear in 2 cases, Marlex mesh erosion in 23 (8.4%), vaginal vault abscess in 1, pararectal hematoma in 2 and buttock pain in 2. Anatomical evaluation at followup revealed a 96.7% cure rate for apical defects and a 26.8% incidence of cystocele. We observed improvement in filling, voiding and post-void symptoms. Quality of life evaluation showed improvement in all domains. We detected a 9.6% incidence of de novo dyspareunia., Conclusions: High levator myorrhaphy is a safe and effective procedure for preventing and curing vaginal apical defects. The simplicity of this surgical procedure, its short learning curve, the lack of severe complications and its low costs combined with symptomatic relief and improvement in quality of life encourage its use for the cure and routine prevention of vaginal apical prolapse.

Objectives: Because the term "interstitial cystitis" (IC) has different meanings in different centers and different parts of the world, the European Society for the Study of Interstitial Cystitis (ESSIC) has worked to create a consensus on definitions, diagnosis, and classification in an attempt to overcome the lack of international agreement on various aspects of IC., Methods: ESSIC has discussed definitions, diagnostic criteria, and disease classification in four meetings and extended e-mail correspondence., Results: It was agreed to name the disease bladder pain syndrome (BPS). BPS would be diagnosed on the basis of chronic pelvic pain, pressure, or discomfort perceived to be related to the urinary bladder accompanied by at least one other urinary symptom such as persistent urge to void or urinary frequency. Confusable diseases as the cause of the symptoms must be excluded. Classification of BPS types might be performed according to findings at cystoscopy with hydrodistention and morphologic findings in bladder biopsies. The presence of other organ symptoms as well as cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and sexual symptoms, should be addressed., Conclusions: The name IC has become misleading and is replaced by BPS. This name is in line with recent nomenclature recommendations by the European Association of Urology and is based on the axial structure of the International Association for the Study of Pain classification. To facilitate the change of the name, ESSIC agreed to include IC in the overall term (BPS/IC) during this transition period.

Purpose of Review: The article focuses on recently published original and review papers on current controversial aspects of pelvic reconstructive surgery., Recent Findings: A detailed Medline search was performed on records published in the previous 12 months. Controversial areas concerning which important work has been recently published include (a) prophylactic treatment of stress urinary incontinence, (b) the use of prosthetic materials (particularly for anterior segment reconstruction), (c) laparoscopic surgery. The considerations of the recent International Consultation on Incontinence are also reported. Other controversial areas in the field of pelvic reconstructive surgery such as the question of uterine preservation during the surgery for uterovaginal prolapse provided no significant new data in the period of this review., Summary: In this evolving field, there is still poor standardization of what constitutes anatomical and functional cure. The transvaginal approach is the most promising of all techniques, and new techniques are evolved mainly in this area. There continues to be a need for multicenter prospective randomized trials providing level I evidence. Recurrence rates, particularly in the anterior wall, are still unacceptably high. Evidence is urgently needed to decide whether the use of prosthetic materials may provide the answer, if so, which material and which method?

Objective: The Zuidex system facilitates non-endoscopic urethral injection for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). It comprises four pre-filled syringes of non-animal stabilised hyaluronic acid/dextranomer (NASHA/Dx) gel and an Implacer device. This open, 12-month study was performed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this system in women with SUI., Methods: Patients were aged > or =18 years with a history of SUI for > or =12 months (hypermobility and/or intrinsic sphincter deficiency), had failed prior non-invasive therapy and were invasive-therapy naïve. Up to two treatments with NASHA/Dx gel were permissible (re-treatment was offered at week 8). Positive response to treatment was defined as a reduction in provocation test leakage of > or =50% compared with baseline. Efficacy was also measured by 24-hour pad weight test leakage, and number of incontinence episodes/24 hours., Results: A total of 142 patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 55.7 years. The response rate was 78% at week 12, and 77% at month 12. Significant reductions in median provocation test leakage, 24-hour pad-weight test leakage and number of incontinence episodes/24 hours were observed at all time-points. At month 12, the median decreases from baseline in these three variables were 93%, 89% and 67%, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events were of a nature expected with urethral injection - most were transient, and of mild or moderate intensity., Conclusions: Treatment with NASHA/Dx gel produced large, statistically significant reductions in urinary leakage sustained over 12 months and was well tolerated. These findings suggest that NASHA/Dx gel could be considered as an early intervention in treatment-naïve cases of SUI.