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Purpose: The diagnosis and treatment of puborectalis syndrome (PRS) and spastic pelvic floor syndrome (SPFS) are still up for debate. This study aims to investigate and examine the similarities and differences between PRS and SPFS., Methods: This study recruited 13 PRS cases, 10 SPFS cases, and 16 controls. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), histology, and ultrastructural pathology were explored. Additionally, anorectal manometry was performed prior to surgery, and Wexner constipation scores and patient assessment of constipation quality of life (PAC-QOL) scores monitored before surgery and 6 and 12 months post-surgery., Results: The puborectalis thickness in the pelvic MRIs of the SPFS and control groups did not appear to differ (4.62 ± 0.38 vs 4.56 ± 0.47, p = 0.378); however, the puborectalis in the PRS group was substantially thicker than that of the SPFS (8.65 ± 1.17 vs 4.62 ± 0.38, p < 0.001). The SPFS group showing atrophy and degeneration of muscle fibers and the PRS group exhibiting necrosis of muscle fibers, both groups had distorted texture myofibrils, disorganized arrangement, and rough Z lines; however, in severe cases of PRS group, localized myofibrils fracture and myofilament dissolution presenting as vacuolation. Patients with normal preoperative rectal propulsion force had improvements in postoperative Wexner constipation scores and PAC-QOL scores., Conclusion: Histological and ultrastructural pathological evidence suggests that SPFS and PRS are distinct phases of paradoxical puborectalis syndrome (PPS). Furthermore, one indication for PPS surgical treatment is normal rectal evacuation pressure., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Introduction and Hypothesis: Although some evidence suggests that Chinese and white women might have different pelvic floor anatomy such as levator complex and connective tissue support for pelvic organs, it is unknown if these differences affect the mechanisms of pelvic organ prolapse. We sought to determine whether differences exist in MRI-based structural failure patterns between Chinese and American white women with prolapse., Methods: This is a case-control study in different racial cohorts recruited in China and the USA. The Chinese cohort included 19 women with anterior-predominant prolapse and 24 controls with normal pelvic support. The American white cohort included 30 women with anterior-predominant prolapse and 30 controls. Both cohorts underwent the same clinical evaluation and MRI protocol. Three structural support systems were quantified on stress 3D MRI at maximal Valsalva: vaginal factors (length, width); connective tissue attachment (cervix, lateral paravaginal height); and hiatus factors (urogenital hiatus size, major levator ani injury). Abnormal structural support was defined as any measurement outside the normal range defined as the 5th to 95th percentile in controls from the respective cohort. The percentages of the women with abnormal support in the two cohorts were compared., Results: Among those with prolapse, Chinese women were more likely than white women to have abnormally long vaginal length and width (90% vs 40%, p < 0.001; 53% vs 23%, p = 0.031 respectively). The occurrence of abnormal apical location, paravaginal location, and genital hiatus size ranged from 89 to 100% in Chinese women and from 63 to 80% in white women., Conclusions: Prolapse in American white women most commonly involves structural failure of connective tissue attachments and hiatus factors and less frequently involves vaginal wall factors, whereas prolapse in Chinese women frequently involves all support structures., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical Approval: Approved by the University of Michigan Institutional Review Board (HUM00141380) and the Peking University Health Science center (IRB00001052-18018). Conflicts of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (© 2024. The International Urogynecological Association.)

Background: Vaginal childbirth is a key risk factor for pelvic floor muscle injury and dysfunction, and subsequent pelvic floor disorders. Multiparity further exacerbates these risks. Using the rat model, validated for the studies of the human pelvic floor muscles, we have previously identified that a single simulated birth injury results in pelvic floor muscle atrophy and fibrosis., Objective: To test the hypothesis that multiple birth injuries would further overwhelm the muscle regenerative capacity, leading to functionally relevant pathological alterations long-term., Study Design: Sprague-Dawley rats underwent simulated birth injury and were allowed to recover for 8 weeks before undergoing additional birth injury. Animals were sacrificed at acute (3 and 7 days postinjury), subacute (21, 28, and 35 days postinjury), and long-term (8 and 12 weeks postinjury) time points post second injury (N=3-8/time point), and the pubocaudalis portion of the rat levator ani complex was harvested to assess the impact of repeated birth injuries on muscle mechanical and histomorphological properties. The accompanying transcriptional changes were assessed by a customized NanoString panel. Uninjured animals were used as controls. Data with a parametric distribution were analyzed by a 2-way analysis of variance followed by post hoc pairwise comparisons using Tukey's or Sidak's tests; nonparametrically distributed data were compared with Kruskal-Wallis test followed by pairwise comparisons with Dunn's test. Data, analyzed using GraphPad Prism v8.0, San Diego, CA, are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean or median (range)., Results: Following the first simulated birth injury, active muscle force decreased acutely relative to uninjured controls (12.9±0.9 vs 25.98±2.1 g/mm 2 , P<.01). At 4 weeks, muscle active force production recovered to baseline and remained unchanged at 8 weeks after birth injury (P>.99). Similarly, precipitous decrease in active force was observed immediately after repeated birth injury (18.07±1.2 vs 25.98±2.1 g/mm 2 , P<.05). In contrast to the functional recovery after a single birth injury, a long-term decrease in muscle contractile function was observed up to 12 weeks after repeated birth injuries (18.3±1.6 vs 25.98±2.1 g/mm 2 , P<.05). Fiber size was smaller at the long-term time points after second injury compared to the uninjured group (12 weeks vs uninjured control: 1485 (60.7-5000) vs 1989 (65.6-4702) μm 2 , P<.0001). The proportion of fibers with centralized nuclei, indicating active myofiber regeneration, returned to baseline at 8 weeks post-first birth injury, (P=.95), but remained elevated as far as 12 weeks post-second injury (12 weeks vs uninjured control: 7.1±1.5 vs 0.84±0.13%, P<0.0001). In contrast to the plateauing intramuscular collagen content after 4 weeks post-first injury, fibrotic degeneration increased progressively over 12 weeks after repeated injury (12 weeks vs uninjured control: 6. 7±1.1 vs 2.03±0.2%, P<.001). Prolonged expression of proinflammatory genes accompanied by a greater immune infiltrate was observed after repeated compared to a single birth injury., Conclusion: Overall, repeated birth injuries lead to a greater magnitude of pathological alterations compared to a single injury, resulting in more pronounced pelvic floor muscle degeneration and muscle dysfunction in the rat model. The above provides a putative mechanistic link between multiparity and the increased risk of pelvic floor dysfunction in women., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

It has not yet been proven whether sepsis affects the tissue around the anal canal. To address this issue, we established three-dimensional models for various types of anorectal abscesses and utilize 3D reconstruction of Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans to assess the extent of muscle damage caused by anorectal abscesses. Patients diagnosed with anorectal abscess, selected from January 2019 to January 2022 underwent pre- and post-operative scanning of pelvic floor and perianal tissues. The aforementioned structures were segmented for the reconstruction of a three-dimensional visual model and measurement of volumes for the abscess as well as the internal and external sphincters and levator ani muscle. The study included a total of 42 patients. Three-dimensional visualization models were created for different types of anorectal abscesses, including perianal, intersphincteric, ischiorectal, and supralevator abscesses. No statistically significant differences were observed in the volume of the internal sphincter, external sphincter, and levator ani muscle between pre- and post-operative patients. The 3D model of anorectal abscess, reconstructed from MRI data, offers a precise and direct visualization of the anatomical structures associated with various types of anorectal abscesses. The infection did not result in any damage to the internal and external anal sphincter and levator ani muscle., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The primary aim of this study was to compare the quality of life between women with obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) and women with intact perineum or minor vaginal tears following their first vaginal birth through a validated urogynaecological questionnaire. As a secondary aim, we wanted to identify the specific symptoms for pelvic floor dysfunction after a vaginal birth., Methods: One hundred thirty-three cases (III- and IV-degree vaginal tears) and 133 controls (intact perineum or I- and II-degree vaginal tear) were asked to fill the PFDI-20 condition-specific and quality of life survey at three and 12 months after vaginal delivery. The survey evaluates pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms through three subsections: the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory (POPDI), the Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventory (CRADI), and Urinary Distress Inventory, (UDI). The scoring system ranges from 0 (no distress) to 100 (maximum distress) for each subsection, subsequently summed up to obtain the summary score (0 to 300). The patients recruited were asked to complete the survey at 3- and 12-months follow-up visit. Accordingly, data collection started. Categorical variables were subjected to Chi-square test or Fisher's Exact test. Quantitative variables were compared through Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney test., Results: All surveys have shown statistically significant differences when comparing the cases to the control group. Consequently, PFDI-20 has shown a strong correlation between III- and IV-grade lacerations and pelvic floor dysfunction persistence at 12 months after delivery. Intestinal symptoms were the most reported disturbances among women with previous OASI., Conclusions: Major vaginal tears have demonstrated to have a strong impact on women's quality of life up to a follow-up of 12 months. The use of PFDI-20 questionnaire is a useful and valid tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of genital prolapse, fecal and urinary incontinence in primiparous women with a history of OASI. Thus, its application in clinical practice can help offering the most adequate rehabilitative treatment., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: Exploring the surgical effectiveness and post-operative recovery of modified laparoscopic levator ani muscle external abdominoperineal resection (L-ELAPE) in the treatment of ultra-low rectal cancer patients. Methods: In a retrospective study conducted at the Oncology Department of Xinxiang Central Hospital and the Fourth Clinical College of Xinxiang Medical University, we analyzed 107 patients with ultra-low rectal cancer who underwent surgical treatment from April 2017 to April 2022. Among them, 54 patients in the modified group were treated using the L-ELAPE technique, while 53 patients in the conventional group underwent the traditional ELAPE surgery. We compared the surgical operation metrics, post-operative pathological results, quality of life, and incidence of complications between the two groups. Results: The age of 54 patients in the modified group was (56.8±7.2) years old, with 53.7% (29 cases) being male; The age of 53 patients in the conventional group was (54.5±5.9) years old, with males accounting for 45.3% (24 cases). There was no statistically significant difference in surgical time between the modified group and the conventional group ( P >0.05); The surgical bleeding volume, drainage tube placement time, first postoperative anal exhaust time, and hospitalization time of the modified group patients were (143.2±26.7) ml, (61.9±11.4) h, (5.5±1.6) d, and (10.5±2.2) d, respectively, which were shorter than those in the conventional group's (185.0±31.5) ml, (74.8±14.0) h, (6.4±1.7) d, and (12.2±2.8) d (all P values<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative pathological TNM staging, vascular infiltration rate, nerve invasion rate, number of lymph nodes cleaned, and tumor differentiation degree between the two groups of patients (all P values>0.05); The incidence of surgical complications in the modified group was 7.41% (4 cases), lower than that in the conventional group ( P <0.05) with 24.53%(13 cases). One month after surgery, the physiological health score of the modified group patients was (35.6±4.7) score, which was higher than the conventional group's (32.8±5.1) score ( P <0.05). Conclusion: For patients with ultra-low rectal cancer, the use of the L-ELAPE treatment, compared to conventional methods, can effectively promote post-operative recovery and reduce the rate of surgical complications, which, to some extent, contributes to improving the post-operative quality of life for the patients.

Background: Magnetic resonance defecography (MRD) plays a central role in diagnosing pelvic floor functional disorders by visualizing the entire pelvic floor along with pelvic organs and providing functional assessment of the defecation process. A shared understanding between radiology and surgery regarding indications and interpretation of findings is crucial for optimal utilization of MRD., Objectives: This review aims to explain the indications for MRD from a surgical perspective and elucidate the significance of radiological findings for treatment. It intends to clarify for which symptoms MRD is appropriate and which criteria should be followed for standardized results. This is prerequisite to develop interdisciplinary therapeutic approaches., Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted, including current consensus guidelines., Results: MRD can provide relevant findings in the diagnosis of fecal incontinence and obstructed defecation syndrome, particularly in cases of pelvic floor descent, enterocele, intussusception, and pelvic floor dyssynergia. However, rectocele findings in MRD should be interpreted with caution in order to avoid overdiagnosis., Conclusion: MRD findings should never be considered in isolation but rather in conjunction with patient history, clinical examination, and symptomatology since morphology and functional complaints may not always correlate, and there is wide variance of normal values. Interdisciplinary interpretation of MRD results involving radiology, surgery, gynecology, and urology, preferably in the context of pelvic floor conferences, is recommended., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvic floor plays a key role in imaging complex pelvic floor dysfunction. The simultaneous detection of multiple findings in a complex anatomic setting renders correct analysis and clinical interpretation challenging., Objectives: The most important aspects (anatomy of the pelvic floor, three compartment model, morphological and functional analysis, reporting) for a successful clinical use of dynamic MRI of the pelvic floor are summarized., Materials and Methods: Review of the scientific literature on dynamic pelvic MR imaging with special consideration of the joint recommendations provided by the expert panel of ESUR/ESGAR in 2016., Results: The pelvic floor is a complex anatomic structure, mainly formed by the levator ani muscle, the urethral support system and the endopelvic fascia. Firstly, morphological changes of these structures are analysed on the static sequences. Secondly, the functional analysis using the three compartment model is performed on the dynamic sequences during squeezing, straining and defecation. Pelvic organ mobility, pelvic organ prolapse, the anorectal angle and pelvic floor relaxation are measured and graded. The diagnosis of cystoceles, enteroceles, rectoceles, the uterovaginal as well as anorectal decent, intussusceptions and dyssynergic defecation should be reported using a structured report form., Conclusions: A comprehensive analysis of all morphological and functional findings during dynamic MRI of the pelvic floor can provide information missed by other imaging modalities and hence alter therapeutic strategies., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvic floor plays a key role in imaging complex pelvic floor dysfunction. High-quality examination is crucial for diagnostic benefit but can be technically challenging., Objectives: The most important technical aspects (patient selection, patient preparation, MRI technology, MRI scan protocol, success control) for obtaining a state-of-the-art dynamic MRI of the pelvic floor are summarized., Materials and Methods: Review of the scientific literature on dynamic pelvic MR imaging with special consideration of the joint recommendations provided by the expert panels of European Society of Urogenital Radiology/European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESUR/ESGAR) in 2016 and Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) in 2019., Results: Examination with at least 1.5 T and a surface coil after rectal instillation of ultrasound gel is clinical standard. Dynamic MRI in a closed magnet with the patient in supine position is the most widespread technique. No clinically significant pathologies of the pelvic floor are missed compared to the sitting position in an open magnet. The minimum scan protocol should encompass static, high-resolution T2-imaging (i.e., T2-TSE) in three planes and dynamic sequences with high temporal resolution in sagittal (and possibly axial) plane (i.e., steady-state or balanced steady-state free precession) during squeezing, straining and evacuation. Detailed patient instruction and practicing prior to the scan improve patients' compliance and hence diagnostic quality., Conclusions: A technically flawless dynamic MRI of the pelvic floor according to these standards can provide information missed by other imaging modalities and hence alter therapeutic strategies., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Pelvic floor ultrasound can clearly visualize the position and morphology of pelvic floor organs, observe the pelvic organ prolapse in real-time, and quantify and analyze the degree of the levator ani muscle injury, which is the most common imaging method to assess the morphology and function of the levator ani muscle to date. The different ultrasound imaging techniques provide a variety of indicators, each with its own advantages and limitations.Furthermore, two-dimensional ultrasound is the basis of imaging, but it fails to detect cross-sectional images of the pelvic floor; three-dimensional ultrasound can acquire the axial plane of the levator hiatus; tomographic ultrasound imaging allows real-time observation of the levator ani muscle injury; shear wave elastography can provide a quantitative assessment of the contractility and elastic characteristics of the levator ani muscle in real-time. It is of great significance to summarize the basic principles of various ultrasound imaging techniques, summarize the ultrasound image characteristics of levator ani muscle and its hiatus in different populations and different states, and explore the cut-off values and diagnostic criteria-related ultrasound parameters for improving the diagnostic efficiency of pelvic floor ultrasound for levator ani muscle injury, leading to reducing missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of lesions.

Objective: To quantify morphological changes of pelvic floor in primiparas with postpartum pelvic organ prolapse (POP) during the early postpartum period., Methods: A total of 309 primiparas underwent pelvic floor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 6 weeks postpartum. Those primiparas diagnosed with postpartum POP by MRI criterion were followed up at 3 and 6 months postpartum. Normal primiparas were enrolled in the control group. The puborectal hiatus line, muscular pelvic floor relaxation line, levator hiatus area, iliococcygeus angle, levator plate angle, uterus-pubococcygeal line, and bladder-pubococcygeal line were assessed on MRI. Longitudinal changes in pelvic floor measurements between the two groups were compared by repeated-measures analysis of variance., Results: Compared with the control group, enlarged puborectal hiatus line, levator hiatus area, and RICA and decreased uterus-pubococcygeal line were observed at rest in the POP group (all P < 0.05). All of the pelvic floor measurements were significantly different in the POP group compared with the control group at the maximum Valsalva maneuver (all P < 0.05). All of the pelvic floor measurements showed no significant change over time in both the POP and control groups (all P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Postpartum POP accompanied by poor pelvic floor support will persist in the early postpartum period., (© 2023 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Background and Objective: Pelvic floor disorders are prevalent diseases and patient care remains difficult as the dynamics of the pelvic floor remains poorly understood. So far, only 2D dynamic observations of straining exercises at excretion are available in the clinics and 3D mechanical defects of pelvic organs are not well studied. In this context, we propose a complete methodology for the 3D representation of non-reversible bladder deformations during exercises, combined with a 3D representation of the location of the highest strain areas on the organ surface., Methods: Novel image segmentation and registration approaches have been combined with three geometrical configurations of up-to-date rapid dynamic multi-slice MRI acquisitions for the reconstruction of real-time dynamic bladder volumes., Results: For the first time, we proposed real-time 3D deformation fields of the bladder under strain from in-bore forced breathing exercises. The potential of our method was assessed on eight control subjects undergoing forced breathing exercises. We obtained average volume deviations of the reconstructed dynamic volume of bladders around 2.5% and high registration accuracy with mean distance values of 0.4 ± 0.3 mm and Hausdorff distance values of 2.2 ± 1.1 mm., Conclusions: The proposed framework provides proper 3D+t spatial tracking of non-reversible bladder deformations. This has immediate applicability in clinical settings for a better understanding of pelvic organ prolapse pathophysiology. This work can be extended to patients with cavity filling or excretion problems to better characterize the severity of pelvic floor pathologies or to be used for preoperative surgical planning., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors have participated in (a) conception and design, or analysis and interpretation of the data; (b) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and (c) approval of the final version. This manuscript has not been submitted to, nor is under review at, another journal or other publishing venue. The authors have no affiliation with any organization with a direct or indirect financial interest in the subject matter discussed in the manuscript, (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Backgroundy: Colonoscopy is often performed in the initial workup of pelvic floor dysfunction, even in the absence of red flag symptoms. Current guidelines suggest colonoscopy is only required in the presence of rectal bleeding, diarrhoea or change in bowel habit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of significant pathology found at colonoscopy in patients with pelvic floor dysfunction., Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed on all patients presenting to a functional colorectal outpatient clinic between May 2018 and August 2019. Information was collected on presenting symptoms, whether colonoscopy had been performed within 5 years, quality of bowel preparation, withdrawal time, number of polyps detected, histology, presence of diverticular disease, colorectal malignancy, inflammatory bowel disease, solitary rectal ulcer or rectal prolapse., Results: There were 260 patients seen within the study period, of which 67% had undergone recent colonoscopy within the last 5 years. The mean age was 53 and 219 (84%) patients were female. Average withdrawal time was 13 min. Polyps were found in 48.7% and adenomas in 32.4% of all colonoscopies. The adenoma detection rate was 32.7%. None of the colonoscopies found evidence of malignancy. A new diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease was discovered in two patients., Conclusion: There was low rates of serious pathology such as malignancy or inflammatory bowel disease in patients referred to a functional clinic. However, colonoscopy is still useful in workup of pelvic floor dysfunction, as many patients have erratic bowel habits or vague symptoms, and will have adenomas found., (© 2023 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.)

Objective: To investigate the value of reconstruction of pelvic floor with biological products to prevent and treat empty pelvic syndrome after pelvic exenteration (PE) for locally advanced or recurrent rectal cancer. Methods: This was a descriptive study of data of 56 patients with locally advanced or locally recurrent rectal cancer without or with limited extra-pelvic metastases who had undergone PE and pelvic floor reconstruction using basement membrane biologic products to separate the abdominal and pelvic cavities in the Department of Anorectal Surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Naval Military Medical University from November 2021 to May 2022. The extent of surgery was divided into two categories: mainly inside the pelvis (41 patients) and including pelvic wall resection (15 patients). In all procedures, basement membrane biologic products were used to reconstruct the pelvic floor and separate the abdominal and pelvic cavities. The procedures included a transperitoneal approach, in which biologic products were used to cover the retroperitoneal defect and the pelvic entrance from the Treitz ligament to the sacral promontory and sutured to the lateral peritoneum, the peritoneal margin of the retained organs in the anterior pelvis, or the pubic arch and pubic symphysis; and a sacrococcygeal approach in which biologic products were used to reconstruct the defect in the pelvic muscle-sacral plane. Variables assessed included patients' baseline information (including sex, age, history of preoperative radiotherapy, recurrence or primary, and extra-pelvic metastases), surgery-related variables (including extent of organ resection, operative time, intraoperative bleeding, and tissue restoration), post-operative recovery (time to recovery of bowel function and time to recovery from empty pelvic syndrome), complications, and findings on follow-up. Postoperative complications were graded using the Clavien-Dindo classification. Results: The median age of the 41 patients whose surgery was mainly inside the pelvis was 57 (31-82) years. The patients comprised 25 men and 16 women. Of these 41 patients, 23 had locally advanced disease and 18 had locally recurrent disease; 32 had a history of chemotherapy/immunotherapy/targeted therapy and 24 of radiation therapy. Among these patients, the median operative time, median intraoperative bleeding, median time to recovery of bowel function, and median time to resolution of empty pelvic syndrome were 440 (240-1020) minutes, 650 (200-4000) ml, 3 (1-9) days, and 14 (5-105) days, respectively. As for postoperative complications, 37 patients had Clavien-Dindo < grade III and four had ≥ grade III complications. One patient died of multiple organ failure 7 days after surgery, two underwent second surgeries because of massive bleeding from their pelvic floor wounds, and one was successfully resuscitated from respiratory failure. In contrast, the median age of the 15 patients whose procedure included combined pelvic and pelvic wall resection was 61 (43-76) years, they comprised eight men and seven women, four had locally advanced disease and 11 had locally recurrent disease. All had a history of chemotherapy/ immunotherapy and 13 had a history of radiation therapy. The median operative time, median intraoperative bleeding, median time to recovery of bowel function, and median time to relief of empty pelvic syndrome were 600 (360-960) minutes, 1600 (400-4000) ml, 3 (2-7) days, and 68 (7-120) days, respectively, in this subgroup of patients. Twelve of these patients had Clavien-Dindo < grade III and three had ≥ grade III postoperative complications. Follow-up was until 31 October 2022 or death; the median follow-up time was 9 (5-12) months. One patient in this group died 3 months after surgery because of rapid tumor progression. The remaining 54 patients have survived to date and no local recurrences have been detected at the surgical site. Conclusion: The use of basement membrane biologic products for pelvic floor reconstruction and separation of the abdominal and pelvic cavities during PE for locally advanced or recurrent rectal cancer is safe, effective, and feasible. It improves the perioperative safety of PE and warrants more implementation.

When a patient presents with symptoms suggestive of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), clinical evaluation should include an assessment of symptoms, their impact on daily life and rule out other pelvic pathologies. The prolapse should be described compartment by compartment, indicating the extent of the externalization for each. The diagnosis of POP is clinical. Additional exams may be requested to explore the symptoms associated or not explained by the observed prolapse. Pelvic floor muscle training and pessaries are non-surgical conservative treatment options recommended as first-line therapy for pelvic organ prolapse. They can be offered in combination and be associated with the management of modifiable risk factors for prolapse. If the conservative therapeutic options do not meet the patient's expectations, surgery should be proposed if the symptoms are disabling, related to pelvic organ prolapse, detected on clinical examination and significant (stage 2 or more of the POP-Q classification). Surgical routes for POP repair can be abdominal with mesh placement, or vaginal with autologous tissue. Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy is recommended for cases of apical and anterior prolapse. Autologous vaginal surgery (including colpocleisis) is a recommended option for elderly and fragile patients. For cases of isolated rectocele, the posterior vaginal route with autologous tissue should be preferentially performed over the transanal route. The decision to place a mesh must be made in consultation with a multidisciplinary team. After the surgery, the patient should be reassessed by the surgeon, even in the absence of symptoms or complications, and in the long term by a primary care or specialist doctor., Competing Interests: Declarations of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the effect of pelvic peritoneum reconstruction on the prognosis of patients underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection of rectal adenocarcinoma. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 97 patients who underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection of rectal adenocarcinoma in General Surgery Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2017 to June 2021. According to the implementation of pelvic peritoneum reconstruction, the subjects were divided into study group (48 patients underwent pelvic peritoneum reconstruction after laparoscopic resection) and control group (49 patients not underwent pelvic peritoneum reconstruction). The two groups were compared in terms of Wexner score of anal function, anorectal manometry results, normal rate of defecation sensation, pelvic floor anatomical structure and postoperative complications. Five-year survival analysis was performed. Results: Patients in the study group and the control group were (61.25±10.38) years old and (59.47±11.40) years old ( P >0.05). The proportions of male patients were 60.4% (29 cases) and 55.1% (27 cases) ( P >0.05) in the study group and control group, respectively. At 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery, Wexner scores of anal function in the study group were lower than those in the control group [(14.29±2.07) vs (16.33±2.18), P <0.001; (9.57±2.34) vs (11.26±2.85), P =0.002; (5.41±1.36) vs (7.86±1.95), P <0.001, respectively]. The anal resting pressure and anal systolic pressure of the study group were higher than those of the control group [(56.29±7.31) mmHg vs (52.88±6.65) mmHg, P =0.018; (129.33±17.36) mmHg vs (110.45±15.22) mmHg, P <0.001, respectively] (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). The rectal sensory volume, rectal maximum tolerance volume, and the length of anal high-pressure area in the study group were greater than those in the control group [(32.15±4.38) vs (29.76±4.29), P =0.008; (209.57±40.27) vs (184.39±37.56), P =0.002; (3.07±0.52) vs (2.80±0.49), P =0.010, respectively]. At 3 and 6 months after surgery, the normal rates of defecation sensation in the study group were 47.9% (23 cases) and 70.8% (34 cases), respectively, higher than those in the control group [26.5% (13 cases) and 51.0% (25 cases)] ( P =0.029 and 0.046, respectively). The detection rate of intestinal tube accumulation in the study group was lower than that in the control group [12.5% (6 cases) vs 38.9% (19 cases)] ( P =0.003). There was no significant difference in the total incidence of complications (anastomotic leakage, abdominal infection, intestinal obstruction, pendant pneumonia and urinary tract infection) between the two groups [18.8% (9 cases) vs 24.5% (12 cases)] ( P =0.493). There was no significant difference in 5-year cumulative survival rate between the study group and the control group (71.6% vs 68.2%, P =0.309). Conclusion: Pelvic peritoneum reconstruction can improve postoperative anal function and reduce intestinal tube accumulation in patients underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection of rectal adenocarcinoma with high safety and feasibility.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects many women, with an estimated lifetime risk of surgical intervention of 18.7%. There is a need for alternative approaches as the use of synthetic nondegradable mesh was stopped due to severe adverse events, and as current methods for pelvic floor repair have high POP recurrence rates. Thus, we hypothesized that electrospun degradable meshes with stem cells and growth factor were safe and durable for the long term in elderly rats. In an abdominal repair model, electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) meshes coated with connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)/PEG-fibrinogen (PF) and rat mesenchymal stem cells were implanted in elderly female rats and removed after in average 53 weeks (53-week group). Collagen amount and production were quantified by qPCR and Western blotting. Moreover, histological appearance and biomechanical properties were evaluated. Results were compared with previous results of young rats with identical mesh implanted for 24 weeks (24-week group). The 53-week group differed from the 24-week group in terms of (1) reduced collagen III, (2) strong reduction in foreign body response, and (3) altered histological appearance. We found comparable biomechanical properties, aside from higher, not significant, mean tissue stiffness in the 53-week group. Lastly, we identified mesh components 53 weeks after implantation. This study provides new insights into future POP repair in postmenopausal women by showing how CTGF/PF-coated electrospun PCL meshes with stem cells exhibit sufficient support, biocompatibility, and no mesh-related complications long term in an abdominal repair model in elderly rats., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Importance: Women with obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) are at increased risk of pelvic floor disorders. No standard of care exists for management of pelvic floor dysfunction after OASI., Objectives: The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) on bladder and bowel function after OASI and to describe adherence to PFPT., Study Design: A retrospective cohort study of women with OASI presenting at a postpartum care clinic from 2017 to 2021 was conducted. Women were grouped according to PFPT attendance. Urinary Distress Inventory 6 (UDI-6) and Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI) were administered at baseline and 6 months., Results: A total of 430 women with OASI presented to a postpartum care clinic, of which 137 (31.9%) attended PFPT, and 293 (68.1%) did not attend. Baseline and 6-month questionnaires were completed by 169 women: 52 (30.8%) in the PFPT group and 117 (69.2%) in the non-PFPT group. Baseline UDI-6 and FISI scores were higher in the PFPT group. Improvement in UDI-6 was not different between groups (-5.8 ± 14.9 vs -3.7 ± 10.8, P = 0.36). The non-PFPT group had greater worsening of FISI compared with PFPT group (9.8 ± 15.2 vs 1.1 ± 11.5, P < 0.001). Sixty-six percent (n = 136) of women referred to PFFT attended at least 1 session, of which 32.4% (n = 44) completed all sessions. Completely adherent women were referred to PFPT earlier (18.5 vs 28.5 days postpartum, P = 0.027)., Conclusions: Women in both the PFPT and non-PFPT groups reported improvement in bladder leakage 6 months after OASI. Women who did not attend PFPT had significant worsening of bowel leakage. Early referral to PFPT in women with pelvic floor dysfunction following OASI should be considered., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether the perineal body (PB) is different between women with and without prolapse and to analyze its association with prolapse., Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was performed in a tertiary-level urology department and included patients with stage II-IV pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and normal controls with all points 1 cm or more above the hymen. The patients underwent supine midsagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at rest and during the maximum Valsalva maneuver. Perineal mobility and PB length, height, perimeter, and area were measured; in addition, the genital hiatus and PB were measured according to the definition of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system. Univariate associations of POP with characteristics were assessed using the chi-square test or Fisher exact test for categorical variables and the t test for continuous variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals., Results: Seventy-two controls and 130 patients were analyzed. The PB length, height, and area measurements were significantly lower in the POP group. The perineal mobility in different directions was significantly higher in the POP group. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the PB area and perineal mobility in the ventral-dorsal and cranio-caudal directions were associated with POP., Conclusions: Our data suggest that a smaller PB area and greater dorsal or caudal mobility are associated with prolapse., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Hypothesis: We aimed to develop a deep learning-based multi-label classification model to simultaneously diagnose three types of pelvic organ prolapse using stress magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)., Methods: Our dataset consisted of 213 midsagittal labeled MR images at maximum Valsalva. For each MR image, the two endpoints of the sacrococcygeal inferior-pubic point line were auto-localized. Based on this line, a region of interest was automatically selected as input to a modified deep learning model, ResNet-50, for diagnosis. An unlabeled MRI dataset, a public dataset, and a synthetic dataset were used along with the labeled image dataset to train the model through a novel training strategy. We conducted a fivefold cross-validation and evaluated the classification results using precision, recall, F1 score, and area under the curve (AUC)., Results: The average precision, recall, F1 score, and AUC of our proposed multi-label classification model for the three types of prolapse were 0.84, 0.72, 0.77, and 0.91 respectively, which were improved from 0.64, 0.53, 0.57, and 0.83 from the original ResNet-50. Classification took 0.18 s to diagnose one patient., Conclusions: The proposed deep learning-based model were demonstrated feasible and fast in simultaneously diagnosing three types of prolapse based on pelvic floor stress MRI, which could facilitate computer-aided prolapse diagnosis and treatment planning., (© 2021. The International Urogynecological Association.)

Purpose: The pelvic cavity is a monolithic structure whose integrity plays an important role in the pelvic organ function. Currently, pelvic floor peritoneum reconstruction (PFPR) is rarely performed during laparoscopic surgery for middle and low rectal cancer patients. This study evaluated the effect of PFPR using barbed wire during laparoscopic surgery on the postoperative defecation function in middle and low rectal cancer patients., Methods: This was a retrospective study involving a total of 252 middle and low rectal cancer patients who had been subjected to laparoscopic-assisted anterior resection of rectal cancer at Shanghai Changhai Hospital from March 2018 to April 2020. The Wexner and low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) scores were used to evaluate the postoperative defecation function among patients. A Wexner score ≥ 8 and LARS score ≥ 30 were considered to indicate major defecation dysfunction., Results: A total of 229 patients (52 patients subjected to PFPR) were followed up, and the Wexner and LARS scores were recorded. The follow-up rate was 90.87%, the mean follow-up time was 22.88 ± 6.93 months, the stoma rate was 64.29%, the ileostomy reduction surgical rate was 90.74%, and the stoma duration was 7.64 ± 2.94 months. Regarding the assessment of postoperative defecation dysfunction using the Wexner score, a multivariate analysis revealed that a long operation time (odds ratio [OR], 0.991; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.984-0.999, p = 0.026) and radiotherapy (OR, 0.352; 95% CI, 0.156-0.797, p = 0.012) were independent risk factors for major defecation dysfunction, while a high tumor location (OR, 1.318; 95% CI, 1.151-1.657, p = 0.001) and PFPR (OR, 4.770; 95% CI, 1.435-15.857, p = 0.011) were independent protective factors for major defecation dysfunction. Regarding the assessment of the postoperative defecation function using the LARS score, a multivariate analysis revealed that a high tumor location (OR, 1.293; 95% CI, 1.125-1.486, p < 0.001) and PFPR (OR, 3.010; 95% CI, 1.345-6.738, p = 0.007) were independent protective factors for major defecation dysfunction. A subgroup analysis showed that the postoperative Wexner score (3.13 ± 2.79 vs. 4.71 ± 3.45 p = 0.003) and LARS score (21.77 ± 8.62 vs. 25.14 ± 8.78 p = 0.015) were lower for patients with PFPR than for patients without PFPR. Regarding patients with low rectal cancer, those with PFPR had a lower LARS score than those without it (23.62 ± 8.94 vs. 28.40 ± 7.90, p = 0.022), but there was no significant difference in the Wexner score between the groups. A total of 9.76% of patients with PFPR and 48.89% of those without PFPR showed an intestinal accumulation in the sacral front (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: PFPR and a high tumor location are protective factors for postoperative defecation dysfunction in middle and low rectal cancer patients. PFPR can be routinely performed during laparoscopic surgery., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.)

Background: Pelvic exenteration is a radical surgery performed in selected patients with locally advanced or recurrent pelvic malignancy. It involves radical en bloc resection of the adjacent anatomical structures affected by the tumor. The authors sought to evaluate the clinical application of a depithelized gracilis adipofascial flap for pelvic floor reconstruction after pelvic exenteration., Methods: A total of 31 patients who underwent pelvic floor reconstruction with a gracilis adipofascial flap after pelvic exenterationat Peking University Third Hospital from 2014 to 2022 were enrolled in the study. The postoperative follow-up durations varied from 4 to 12 months., Results: The survival rate of the flap was 96.77% with partial flap necrosis in one case. The total incidence of postoperative complications associated with the flap was 25.81%, with an incidence of 6.45% in the donor site and 19.35% in the recipient site. All complications were early complications, including postoperative infection and flap necrosis. All patients recovered after treatments, including anti-infectives, dressing change, debridement, and local flap repair. Long-term follow-up showed good outcomes without flap-related complications., Conclusions: A depithelized gracilis adipofascial flap can be applied for pelvic floor reconstruction after pelvic exenteration. The flap is an ideal and reliable choice for pelvic floor reconstruction with few complications, an elevated survival rate, sufficient volume, and mild effects on the function of the donor site., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical utility of estimated levator ani subtended volume (eLASV) as a prospective preoperative biomarker for prediction of surgical outcomes., Study Design: This is a prospective case-control pilot study. Patients were recruited and gave consent between January 2018 and December 2020. Surgical failure was defined by composite score. The eLASV was calculated for each patient based on a previously published algorithm. Descriptive statistics, Fisher exact test, log-binomial regression, area under a receiver operating characteristics, Bland-Altman plot, Lin coefficient, and κ coefficient were all performed for analysis., Results: Fifty-one patients gave consent, 31 completed preoperative magnetic resonance imaging, 27 underwent surgery (uterosacral ligament suspension), and 19 followed up for 1-year examination. Five patients (26.3%) were defined as surgical failure with median eLASV volume of 57.0 (interquartile range, 50.1-66.2). Fourteen patients (73.7%) were defined as surgical success with median eLASV of 28.2 (interquartile range, 17.2-24.3). Eighty percent of the surgical failure group (4/5) had elevated volume of eLASV, where only 14.3% of the success group (2/14) had an elevated volume (P = 0.0173). No confounders were found and unadjusted log-binomial regression suggested that patients with a high eLASV were 8.7 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-61.9) times more likely to experience surgical failure compared with those with low eLASV. The c-statistic (area under a receiver operating characteristics) was high at 0.829 along with Lin concordance coefficient of 0.949 (95% confidence interval, 0.891-0.977) for continuous data between the 2 interrater observer teams., Conclusions: In this small prospective pilot study, patients with elevated eLASV on a preoperative pelvic magnetic resonance imaging were associated with an increased risk for surgical failure at 1 year regardless of age, body mass index, stage, or parity.CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03534830., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The levator ani (LA) complex in high-type imperforate anus (H-IA), low-type imperforate anus (L-IA), and Hirschsprung's disease (HD) patients as controls were documented using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and compared for symmetry., Materials and Methods: Mean left:right LA thickness ratio (LA ratio), and deviation of the LA from the pubococcygeal line (PCL; LA angle) were calculated from thin-slice MRI images (axial 2 mm, coronal 2 mm, and sagittal 3 mm) of the puborectalis and pubococcygeus taken parallel to the PCL under sedation in H-IA (n=14), L-IA (n=16), and HD (n=9)., Results: MRI scans were performed between January 2018 and June 2021. LA were significantly thinner in H-IA (1.78±0.46 mm) compared with L-IA (2.97±0.55 mm) and controls (2.87±0.32 mm), p<0.0001. LA ratio was significantly lower in H-IA (0.71±0.15) compared with L-IA (0.93±0.04), and controls (0.91±0.06), p<0.0001. Mean LA-angle was significantly different in H-IA, 10.8° (range 6°-19°), versus L-IA and controls, both zero degrees (range 0°-5°), p<0.0001, respectively., Conclusions: LA was confirmed to be significantly asymmetric in H-IA. Because outcome of surgical repair involving a midline incision, such as posterior sagittal anorectoplasty could be impaired, pediatric surgeons are advised to plan surgical intervention for H-IA carefully and appropriately., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Aims: FemiCushion (FC) is a supportive device for pelvic organ prolapse (POP), but its effectiveness has not been evaluated with imaging studies. This study utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the anatomic changes induced by FC use in patients with severe POP., Methods: This prospective study examined patients with stage 3 or 4 POP who underwent treatment with FC and received a diagnostic MRI. Measurements were made in the midsagittal plane at rest and during straining with and without FC. The vertical distances from the lowest points of the anterior and posterior vaginal wall (A; P), uterine cervix or vaginal stump (C), and perineal body (PB) to the Pelvic Inclination Correction System line were measured, along with the lengths of the urogenital (UGH) and levator hiatus (LH)., Results: Twelve patients were included in the study. The median age was 72 (range, 56-84) years. All reference points were positioned significantly higher with the FC than without the FC (median ΔA: 11 mm, p = 0.005; ΔC: 14 mm, p = 0.011; ΔP: 6 mm, p = 0.008; ΔPB: 7 mm, p = 0.002). Median UGH and LH lengths during straining were significantly shorter with the FC than without the FC (UGH: 44 mm vs. 53 mm, p = 0.002; LH: 60 vs. 65 mm, p = 0.021)., Conclusions: This is the first report on the use of MRI to measure the performance of FC. Our study demonstrates that FC effectively repositioned the organs involved in POP., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.)

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a multifactorial connective tissue disorder caused by damage to the supportive structures of the pelvic floor, leading to the descent of pelvic organs in the vagina. In women with POP, fibroblast function is disturbed or altered, which causes impaired collagen metabolism that affects the mechanical properties of the tissue. Ideal surgical repair, either native tissue repair or POP surgery using an implant, aims to create a functional pelvic floor that is load-bearing, activating fibroblasts to regulate collagen metabolism without creating fibrotic tissue. Fibroblast function plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of POP by directly affecting the connective tissue quality. On the other hand, fibroblasts determine the success of the POP treatment, as the fibroblast-to-(myo)fibroblast transition is the key event during wound healing and tissue repair. In this review, we aim to resolve the question of "cause and result" for the fibroblasts in the development and treatment of POP. This review may contribute to preventing the development and progress of anatomical abnormalities involved in POP and to optimizing surgical outcomes.

Objective: To determine whether all three components of the levator ani muscle (pubovisceral [= pubococcygeal], puborectal and iliococcygeal) and the external anal sphincter are equally affected by oedema associated with muscle injury after vaginal birth., Design: Observational cross-sectional study., Setting: Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan., Population: Primiparous women classified as high risk for levator ani muscle injury during childbirth., Method: MRI scans obtained 6-8 weeks postpartum were analysed. Muscle oedema was assessed on axial and coronal fluid-sensitive magnetic resonance (MRI) scans. Presence of oedema was separately determined in each levator ani muscle component and in the external anal sphincter for all subjects. Descriptive statistics and correlation with obstetric variables were obtained., Main Outcome Measures: Oedema score on fluid-sensitive MRI scans., Results: Of the 78 women included in this cohort, 51.3% (n = 40/78) showed muscle oedema in the pubovisceral (one bilateral avulsion excluded), 5.1% (n = 4/78) in the puborectal and 5.1% (n = 4/78) in the iliococcygeal muscle. No subject showed definite oedema on external anal sphincter. Incidence of oedema on the pubovisceral muscle was seven times higher than on any of the other analysed muscles (all paired comparisons, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Even in the absence of muscle tearing, the pubovisceral muscle shows by far the highest incidence of injury, establishing that levator components are not equally affected by childbirth. External anal sphincter did not show oedema-even in women with sphincter laceration- suggesting a different injury mechanism. Developing a databased map of injured areas helps understand injury mechanisms that can guide us in honing research on treatment and prevention., Tweetable Abstract: Injury-associated levator ani muscle and anal sphincter oedema mapping on MRI reveals vulnerable muscle components after childbirth., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: In the present investigation, a systematic evaluation of the clinical treatment performance of diagnosed with pelvic floor dysfunction is explored. By comparing the 4Dtransperineal pelvic floor ultrasound images with the acupuncture treatment performance of the patients, an evaluation system with various parameters is established to provide critical information to guide the clinical treatment fpostpartum female pelvic floor dysfunction (FPFD)., Methods: Eighty patients diagnosed with FPFD are divided into 2 groups. After the designated treatment to the patients, they are carefully examined using transperineal pelvic floor ultrasound. The shape and activity of bladder neck, cervix and rectum anal canal under resting, anal sphincter and Valsalva movements are observed and recorded. The morphology and continuous shape of levator ani muscle in different states after 4D image reconstruction are obtained., Results: After the acupuncture treatment, the bladder neck descent is decreased by 3.8 cm and the anal levator muscle area is decreased by 3.4 cm2 comparing with the control group. The anal levator muscle hole diameter is decreased by 0.3 cm, while the anterior and posterior diameter is reduced by 0.5 cm. Reduced possibility of cystocele and uterine prolapse is demonstrated by X2 test. These changes upon acupuncture therapy are in line with the improved conditions of the patients, indicating these parameters can help evaluate the therapy performance., Conclusion: 4D pelvic floor ultrasound imaging provides objective and quantified information for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of FPFD and the assessment of therapy efficacy, making it a promising novel method in practical applications., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interests to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Age-related pelvic floor muscle (PFM) dysfunction is a critical defect in the progression to pelvic floor disorders (PFDs). Despite dramatic prevalence of PFDs in older women, the underlying pathophysiology of age-related PFM dysfunction remains poorly understood. Using cadaveric specimens, we quantified aging effects on functionally relevant PFM properties and compared PFMs with the appendicular muscles from the same donors. PFMs, obturator internus, and vastus lateralis were procured from younger (N = 4) and older (N = 11) donors with known obstetrical and medical history. Our findings demonstrate that PFMs undergo degenerative, rather than atrophic, alterations. Importantly, age-related fibrotic degeneration disproportionally impacts PFMs compared to the appendicular muscles. We identified intramuscular lipid accumulation as another contributing factor to the pathological alterations of PFMs with aging. We observed a fourfold decrease in muscle stem cell (MuSC) pool of aged relative to younger PFMs, but the MuSC pool of appendicular muscles from the same older donors was only twofold lower than in younger group, although these differences were not statistically significant. Age-related degeneration appears to disproportionally impact PFMs relative to the appendicular muscles from the same donors. Knowledge of tissue- and cell-level changes in aged PFMs is essential to promote our understanding of the mechanisms governing PFM dysfunction in older women., (© 2021. Biomedical Engineering Society.)

This work aimed to study the application of pelvic floor dynamic images of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based on the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm in female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). 20 SUI female patients were selected as experimental group, and another 20 healthy females were taken as controls. PSO algorithm, K-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm, and back propagation neural network (BPNN) algorithm were adopted to construct the evaluation models for comparative analysis, which were then applied to 40 cases of female pelvic floor dynamic MRI images. It was found that the model proposed had relatively high prediction accuracy in both the training set (87.67%) and the test set (88.46%). In contrast to the control group, there were considerable differences in abnormal urethral displacement, urethral length changes, bladder prolapse, and uterine prolapse in experimental patients ( P < 0.05). After surgery, the change of urethral inclination angle was evidently reduced ( P < 0.05). To sum up, MRI images can be adopted to assess the occurrence of female SUI with abnormal urethral displacement, shortening of urethra length, bladder prolapse, and uterine prolapse. After surgery, the abnormal urethral movement was slightly improved, but there was no obvious impact on bladder prolapse and uterine prolapse., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Dongfang Su et al.)

Objective: This study aimed to determine if genital hiatus (GH) size is a predictor of worsening pelvic organ prolapse and a preference for a therapeutic intervention in women with pelvic organ prolapse who opt for expectant management over therapeutic intervention at their initial encounter., Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study analyzing the GH size of women who opted for expectant management in the initial treatment of pelvic organ prolapse at one academic institution from 2002 to 2015. Participants were divided into 2 groups: (1) large GH was defined as ≥4 cm and (2) normal GH was defined as <4 cm. The primary outcome was women opting for therapeutic intervention for their prolapse at a later visit, defined as pessary insertion or surgical intervention. Secondary measures evaluated GH as a predictor of worsening anatomy or symptoms., Results: One hundred eleven participants were enrolled. Fifty-two women had a large GH, and 59 women had a normal GH. Median length of follow-up was 24 months (range, 6-110 months). Of the 52 with a large GH, 22 (42%) opted for intervention; of the 59 women with a normal GH, 16 (27%) opted for intervention. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in the number who eventually chose intervention (P = 0.09). There was no difference in secondary outcomes between groups with respect to worsening bother, worsening pelvic organ prolapse quantification stage, or an increase in the prolapse leading edge of ≥2 cm., Conclusions: Women with a large GH, when compared with those with a normal GH, were not more likely to choose intervention over continued observation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a major problem in health care and more than 400 million people worldwide suffer from involuntary loss of urine. With an increase in the aging population, UI is likely to become even more prominent over the next decades and the economic burden is substantial. Among the different subtypes of UI, stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the most prevalent and focus of this review. The main underlying causes for SUI are pregnancy and childbirth, accidents with direct trauma to the pelvis or medical treatments that affect the pelvic floor, such as surgery or irradiation. Conservative approaches for the treatment of SUI are pelvic physiotherapy, behavioral and lifestyle changes, and the use of pessaries. Current surgical treatment options include slings, colposuspensions, bulking agents and artificial urinary sphincters. These treatments have limitations with effectiveness and bear the risk of long-term side effects. Furthermore, surgical options do not treat the underlying pathophysiological causes of SUI. Thus, there is an urgent need for alternative treatments, which are effective, minimally invasive and have only a limited risk for adverse effects. Regenerative medicine is an emerging field, focusing on the repair, replacement or regeneration of human tissues and organs using precursor cells and their components. This article critically reviews recent advances in the therapeutic strategies for the management of SUI and outlines future possibilities and challenges.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of pregnancy on urethral rhabdosphincter cross-sectional area (CSA) and any association of CSA to urinary symptoms., Methods: Nulliparous women planning pregnancy (N = 135) underwent standardized evaluations (symptom and quality of life [QOL] questionnaires, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, and neurophysiologic testing) between January 2008 and December 2013 (V1). The participants who became pregnant and gave birth underwent the same evaluations at 6 weeks (V2) and 6 months postpartum (V3). Participants who had magnetic resonance imaging data from both V1 and V3 were selected. We measured urethral rhabdosphincter CSA from high-resolution axial MRIs in a masked fashion. The mean CSA for each participant was calculated. The change from V1 to V3 was assessed., Results: Sixty-eight women were evaluated. There was a significant decrease of 0.05 cm2 (interquartile range, -0.03 to 0.16 cm2; P = 0.002) in the median sphincter CSA between V1 and V3. There was a significant increase in the median Urinary Distress Inventory (UDI) subscore of the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI) from V1 to V3 (median increase of 0 [IQR, 0 to 8.3]; P = 0.033), but this was not significantly correlated with the change in the urethral CSA (Spearman correlation, 0.199; P = 0.107). Increasing fetal weight was correlated with a decrease in CSA postpartum after vaginal birth (Spearman correlation, -0.340; P = 0.017)., Conclusions: There is a decrease in urethral rhabdosphincter CSA with worsening Urinary Distress Inventory scores from prepregnancy to postpartum, but these two do not correlate in this cohort with low symptom levels. Among women who give birth vaginally, decrease in rhabdosphincter CSA is correlated with increasing fetal weight, perhaps with ramifications to be seen later in life., (Copyright © 2021 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Obstructed defecation (OD) is common and may be related to compromised pelvic floor integrity. Magnetic resonance (MR) defecography and statistical shape modeling were used to define pelvic floor shape variations, hypothesizing that State (rest vs peak evacuation) and Group (control vs case) would significantly influence shape. 16 women underwent MR defecography (9 cases vs 7 controls). Midsagittal, 2D pelvic floors were segmented and aligned by corresponding points. Principal component scores were compared using a Two-Way Mixed MANOVA. Three modes described differences between State (p < 0.001) and Group (p = 0.023). The pelvic floor shape differed significantly between women with and without OD and during evacuation.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between pessary use more than 1 year and change in prolapse severity., Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a previously published randomized controlled trial of women undergoing office management of pessaries for management of symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence. Primary outcome was change in pelvic organ prolapse quantification measurement genital hiatus (GH). Secondary outcomes included change in prolapse stage, type of pessary, size of pessary, number of pessary changes, and duration of use. Baseline data were collected from the earliest documented examination within the hospital record before pessary placement and compared with their final study visit. Demographics were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Student t test and Mann-Whitney tests were used for categorical comparisons. Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to evaluate change over time., Results: The cohort was 132 predominantly non-Hispanic White (75%) women with symptomatic prolapse >stage 2 (70.5%). All were postmenopausal. Median duration of pessary use was 39.5 months (interquartile range, 17-64.5 months). Genital hiatus (P = 0.014) and prolapse stage (P = 0.001) decreased as duration of pessary use increased. Those with baseline stages ≥3 had a significant decrease in GH as duration of pessary use increased compared with stages <3 (-0.5 cm vs 0 cm, P < 0.001). There was no difference in change in GH when comparing women with baseline GH less than 3 to 3 cm or greater., Conclusions: Pessary use by women with pelvic organ prolapse causes a change in vaginal anatomy over time as seen by decreasing stage and point GH., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Background: The efficacy of pelvic floor peritoneum closure (PC) during endoscopic low anterior resection (E-LAR) of rectal cancer remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify whether pelvic floor PC affected short-term outcomes., Methods: The study group comprised patients with the pathologically confirmed diagnosis of rectal cancer who underwent E-LAR with pelvic floor PC or with no PC (NPC) between January 2013 and December 2018 in Southwest Hospital. After propensity score matching (PSM), 584 patients (292 who underwent PC and 292 who underwent NPC) were evaluated. Postoperative indicators, including the rates of complications, anastomotic leakage (AL), reoperation, and inflammation, were observed in the two groups., Results: No significant difference was observed in the rates of postoperative complications between the PC and NPC groups. The rates of AL were similar (11.3% vs. 9.2%, p = .414). However, the reoperation rate of patients in the PC group was significantly lower than that of patients in the NPC group after AL (36.4% vs. 11.1%, p = .025). The hospital costs were higher in the NPC leakage subgroup (p = .001). Additionally, the serum C-reactive protein levels were lower in the PC group on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 3, and 5, whereas procalcitonin levels on POD 1 and 3 were lower in the PC group but did not differ significantly on POD 5., Conclusion: Pelvic peritonization did not affect the rate of complications, especially AL; however, it effectively reduced the reoperation and inflammation rates and reduced hospitalization costs. Other short-term outcomes were similar, which warrant the increased use of pelvic peritonization in endoscopic surgery., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Study Objective: To describe a 10-step strategy to treat severe endometriosis with a frozen pelvis by laparoscopy., Design: Educational video., Setting: University Hospital of Strasbourg, France., Interventions: The patient was a 33-year-old nulliparous woman suffering from endometriosis. Because of pain and a desire for pregnancy, she was scheduled for surgery. After setting the patient in gynecologic position, we used a uterine manipulator to facilitate exposure. We assessed the global situation and discovered a frozen pelvis. To treat the myoma, the surgeon should use traction and countertraction as much as possible. We started with the caecum and sigmoid detachment. Then we performed a bilateral ureterolysis. Once the ureters were identified, we could perform safely the adhesiolysis of the bowel from the uterus. The adnexas could be freed and suspended with a T-Lift device to facilitate exposure. After identifying the utero sacral ligament, we opened the para rectal fossa, leading to the opening of the recto vaginal space. The anatomy was then restored, and we could define the specific surgical strategies., Conclusion: Frozen pelvis is a situation where anatomy is distorted. The surgeon should find anatomic landmarks to restore anatomy and to establish specific strategies adapted to the patient., (Copyright © 2020 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze quantified displacements of the posterior vaginal wall (PVW) on dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which may generate hypotheses for the detailed mechanisms that underlie the development of posterior vaginal prolapse., Methods: Pelvic dynamic MRI scans were obtained for 12 women with normal vaginal structure (stage 0) and 62 women with 4 consecutive stages (1-4) of posterior vaginal prolapse. Structural locations (apex vagina, distal vagina, and mid-perineal body [PB]) and equidistant points along the PVW (points 4-6 were considered as midvagina) were identified, and PVW length, straight distance of PVW, levator ani parameters (levator hiatus length [LHL], levator hiatus width [LHW], levator plate angle, anorectal angle, and M line [ML]), urogenital hiatus, and prolapse diameter were measured at rest and maximal Valsalva, respectively. The displacement of these measurements was obtained., Results: From stage 0 to 2, the variables LHL, LHW, levator plate angle, anorectal angle, and ML increased gradually, but midvagina, distal vagina, and mid-PB were the opposite. From stage 2 to 3, apex vagina, midvagina, distal vaginal, mid-PB, LHL, LHW, and ML raised rapidly and peaked at stage 3, then declined at stage 4. In addition, the correlation coefficients between each measurement from stage 2 to 3 were statistically higher than those from stage 0 to 2., Conclusions: Quantified displacements of the PVW and its supporting structure were shown on dynamic MRI, and the mechanical mechanisms were hypothesized regarding the interaction between pressure and the support force contributing to the deformation of the PVW and the supporting structures.

Objectives: It is hypothesized that unilateral high-grade tears damage levator ani muscle (LAM) integrity and increase LAM distensibility. This study aimed to investigate how a unilateral high-grade tear caused overdistension of LAM and whether tear positions affect the degree of distension., Methods: A total of 209 women were screened by translabial ultrasonography. Then, 18 nulliparous women with an intact LAM and 26 postpartum women with unilateral levator ani defects were recruited. The anteroposterior diameter (AP), coronal diameter (LR), and hiatal area (HA) of the minimum levator hiatus were recorded and compared for assessing the distensibility. All 44 subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of levator ani defect and detection of tear positions. Within the software, 3-dimensional pelvic models were developed from magnetic resonance imaging scans for the direct visualization and measurements., Results: Of the 26 postpartum women, 15 were diagnosed with unilateral high-grade tear (caudad in 9, cephalad in 6). The △AP, △LR, and △HA (Valsalva-rest) values of women with a unilateral high-grade tear were significantly larger than those of women with an intact LAM (P < 0.05). The △AP, △LR, and △HA (Valsalva-rest) values of cephalad tears were larger than those of women with caudad tears (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: A unilateral high-grade tear caused the overdistension of LAM. It was validated that cephalad tears caused higher degree of LAM distension than caudad tears.

Aim: The main aim of this study is to evaluate the interest of three-dimensional ultrasound perineal in the measurement of the levator hiatus area as an objective reflection of the surgical correction of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Our hypothesis is that POP surgery decreases the size of the levator hiatus area., Materials and Methods: A longitudinal and prospective study was conducted between April and July 2017 in the Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics at University Hospital of Angers. Surgery was performed either by laparoscopy (sacrocolpopexy) or vaginal surgery (with or without the use of mesh). All patients were handed an information letter and signed an informed consent before being included in the study. A questionnaire was fullfilled before and one month after surgery. A clinical evaluation using the simplified POP-Q classification and a perineal 3D ultrasound were carried out before and after surgery by the same professional. The levator hiatus area was assessed before and after surgery in order to evaluate the impact of surgery on the levator hiatus area. Simplified POP-Q measurements and responses to PFDI-20 and PFDI-7 questionnaires were also collected., Results: A total of 18 patients were included in the study and four were excluded. Seven underwent laparoscopic surgery and seven underwent vaginal surgery. The levator hiatus area decreased substantially from 20.87 to 16.55cm 2 on mean (p=0.0001) at rest. Regarding patient satisfaction, the PFDI-20 score improved after surgery from 89.36 to 37.87 on mean (p=0.006), but the PFIQ-7 score did not reveal any significant changes (p=0.096). For the clinical examination, we used the simplified POP-Q with Ba measurement from 2.3 to -1.92cm (p=0.005) or Bp from -1.5 to -2.46cm, which is not a significant change (p=0.14). Points C (or D in cases with a history of hysterectomy) changed from -3.1 to -6.15cm (p=0.03)., Conclusion: The levator hiatus area seems to decrease after POP surgery. 3D ultrasound seems a new and complementary procedure that allowed to evaluate objectively the levator hiatus area and thus the clinical findings of the surgery., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Despite being non-life threatening, uterine prolapse is a reproductive health problem that interferes psychosocial life, economical and sexual function. Uterine prolapse can be caused by direct trauma resulting in damaged and weakened levator ani muscle which in turn causing sacrouterine ligament to stretch in order to maintain uterus normal position. The main component of sacrouterine ligament is collagen. Types of collagen that was involved in the occurrence of uterine prolapse are which plays a role of risk of occurrence uterine prolapse is collagen type-1 and type-3. Collagen type-1 has a good resistance and flexible to strain. If there is a disruption in the expression of collagen in sacrouterine ligament, it will result in cause uterine prolapse., Objective: The aim of this study is to prove low expression of collagen type-1 in sacrouterine ligament is a risk factor for the occurrence of stage III-IV uterine prolapse., Study Design: This study was an observational study using case-control approach. A total of 22 cases of stage III-IV uterine prolapse and 22 cases of non-uterine prolapse as control group were selected by consecutive sampling. This study was carried out in Sanglah General Hospital and Pathobiology Laboratory of Veterinary Faculty of Udayana. Samples were taken from sacrouterine ligament of individual with stage III-IV uterine prolapse compared to non-prolapse uterine who had undergone total hysterectomy., Results: Chi-square analysis with 95 % confidence interval indicated that low expression of collagen type-1 was 6 times more likely to be the risk factor of stage III-IV uterine prolapse (OR = 5.95; 95 %CI = 1.59-22.33; p = 0.006)., Conclusion: Low collagen type-1 in sacrouterine ligament is a risk factor of stage III-IV uterine prolapse., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Uterosacral ligaments (USLs) provide structural support to the female pelvic floor, and a loss of USL structural integrity or biomechanical function may induce pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Alterations in extracellular matrix composition and organization dictate USL mechanical function. Changes in USL microstructure and corresponding mechanical properties, however, are not fully understood, nor is it understood how microstructure and mechanics change with onset and progression of POP. This is due, in part, as USL properties are primarily characterized along a single direction (uniaxial test), whereas the USL is loaded in multiple directions simultaneously within the body. Biaxial testing permits the acquisition of biomechanical data from two axes simultaneously, and thus simulates a more physiologic assessment compared to the traditional uniaxial testing. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the biaxial biomechanical properties and histological composition of the USL in post-menopausal women with and without POP at various stages. Potential correlations between tissue microstructural composition and mechanical function were also examined. Tangential modulus was lower and peak stretch higher in POP III/IV compared to non-POP and POP I/II in the main in vivo loading direction; however, no significant differences in mechanical properties were observed in the perpendicular loading direction. Collagen content positively correlated to tangential modulus in the main in vivo loading direction (r = 0.5, p = 0.02) and negatively correlated with the peak stretch in both the main in vivo (r = -0.5, p = 0.02) and perpendicular loading directions (r = -0.3, p = 0.05). However, no statistically significant differences in USL composition were observed, which may be due to the small sample size and high variability of small sections of human tissues. These results provide first step towards understanding what microstructural and mechanical changes may occur in the USL with POP onset and progression. Such information may provide important future insights into the development of new surgical reconstruction techniques and graft materials for POP treatment.

Introduction: Levator ani avulsion rates after assisted vaginal delivery have been reported in the literature. However, there are no definitive data regarding the association between overdistention and assisted vaginal delivery. Therefore, our aim is to report overdistention rates after assisted vaginal delivery with a postpartum ultrasound examination., Materials and Methods: This multicenter study involved a retrospective analysis of data from primiparous women (n = 602) who had previously been recruited at three tertiary hospitals between January 2015 and January 2017. Overdistention was assessed at 6 months postpartum using three-/four-dimensional transperineal ultrasound. Patients with levator ani muscle avulsion were excluded. Overdistention was defined as a levator hiatal area ≥ 25 cm 2 on Valsalva., Results: Of the 602 primiparous patients, 250 patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria (139 patients who underwent forceps delivery and 111 patients who underwent vacuum delivery) were evaluated. Overdistention occurred in 20% (50 of 250) of these patients. Overdistention was observed for 1% (1/111) of vacuum deliveries and 35.3% (49 of 139) of forceps deliveries. We found an increased risk of overdistention following forceps delivery compared to vacuum delivery, with a crude odds ratio (OR) of 59.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.1, 442.2) and an adjusted OR (adjusted for maternal age, second-stage duration, and head circumference) of 17.6 (95% CI: 2.3, 136.7)., Conclusions: Postpartum overdistention occurred for 20% of assisted vaginal deliveries, with an increased risk of overdistention following forceps delivery compared to vacuum delivery., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objectives: Obstetric levator avulsion may be an important risk factor for prolapse. This study compares the size of the levator hiatus, the width of the genital hiatus, and pelvic muscle strength between vaginally parous women with or without levator avulsion, 5 to 15 years after delivery., Methods: Parous women were assessed for levator ani avulsion, using 3-dimensional transperineal ultrasound. Women with and without levator ani avulsion were compared with respect to levator hiatus areas (measured on ultrasound), genital hiatus (measured on examination), and pelvic muscle strength (measured with perineometry). Further analysis also considered the association of forceps-assisted birth., Results: At a median interval of 11 years from first delivery, levator avulsion was identified in 15% (66/453). A history of forceps-assisted delivery was strongly associated with levator avulsion (45% vs 8%; P < 0.001). Levator avulsion was also associated with a larger levator hiatus area (+7.3 cm; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1-10.4, with Valsalva), wider genital hiatus (+0.6 cm; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9, with Valsalva), and poorer muscle strength (-14.5 cm H2O; 95% CI, -20.4 to -8.7, peak pressure). Among those with levator avulsion, forceps-assisted birth was associated with a marginal increase in levator hiatus size but not genital hiatus size or muscle strength., Conclusions: Obstetric levator avulsion is associated with a larger levator hiatus, wider genital hiatus, and poorer pelvic muscle strength. Forceps-assisted birth is an important marker for levator avulsion but may not be an independent risk factor for the development of pelvic muscle weakness or changes in hiatus size in the absence of levator avulsion.

Objective: To provide an overview of the hormone actions and receptors expressed in the female pelvic floor muscles, relevant for understanding the pelvic floor disorders., Methods: We performed a literature review focused on the expression of hormone receptors mainly in the pelvic floor muscles of women and female rats and rabbits., Results: The impairment of the pelvic floor muscles can lead to the onset of pelvic floor dysfunctions, including stress urinary incontinence in women. Hormone milieu is associated with the structure and function alterations of pelvic floor muscles, a notion supported by the fact that these muscles express different hormone receptors. Nuclear receptors, such as steroid receptors, are up till now the most investigated. The present review accounts for the limited studies conducted to elucidate the expression of hormone receptors in pelvic floor muscles in females., Conclusion: Hormone receptor expression is the cornerstone in some hormone-based therapies, which require further detailed studies on the distribution of receptors in particular pelvic floor muscles, as well as their association with muscle effectors, involved in the alterations relevant for understanding pelvic floor disorders., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Introduction: Traditionally, the pelvic floor has been described as three separate compartments and problems in each compartment were managed separately. A more contemporary approach is to identify the entire pelvic floor as a single dynamic compartment. Multidisciplinary pelvic floor clinics such as ours with the support of physiotherapy, clinical nurse specialists, urodynamics, and endo-anal ultrasound are uncommon. The aim of this study was to assess patient satisfaction with a joint colorectal and urogynaecology clinic., Method: All women who attended our service in 2015 were identified. Women who saw both a colorectal surgeon and urogynaecologist at the same clinic were included. The Satisfaction with Outpatient Services questionnaire, a multi-dimensional outpatient survey, was mailed to all women., Results: A total of 364 new women attended our service in 2015. One hundred thirty-six (35.2%) saw both a colorectal surgeon and urogynaecologist at the same visit. There was a 64% (87/136) response rate to the questionnaire. Overall, all questions regarding their attendance were responded to positively by 94% (82/87) of women. Confidence and trust in the doctor examining and treating them was reported by all women. Seeing multiple specialists was of benefit to 97% (84/87) of women and 94% (82/87) would recommend the Pelvic Floor Centre., Conclusion: There is a high level of satisfaction amongst women attending our outpatient service. Being seen by multiple specialities at a single clinic was felt to be of benefit by the majority of women and all expressed physician confidence. Our multidisciplinary service may reduce waiting times, increase satisfaction, and is likely cost-effective.

The anorectum is a complex region, whose anatomic structure is the basis and premise of intersphincteric resection (ISR) for low rectal cancer. With the development of pelvic surgery and minimally invasive surgery, the anatomic approaches, surgical planes, extent of excision and reconstruction strategies of ISR have been better understood. Surgeons can furthest preserve anal function as well as adhere to the principles of radical resection. However, the anatomy of the anorectum has not been fully understood. We hope further exploration of the anal canal anatomy, including the perirectal fascia, rectourethral muscle, anococcygeal ligament, hiatal ligament, levator ani muscle, internal and externals phincter, intersphincteric nerves, conjointed longitudinal muscle, intersphincteric spaces and the surgical approaches, by reviewing relevant literatures combined with the experiences of our clinical practice and applied anatomy, will help to improve the accuracy of the surgeries and increase the oncologic and functional outcomes of ISR.

The aim of the study was to assess the predictive value of dyspareunia, general chronic pain, and metacognitive beliefs to sexual distress in a sample of women with endometriosis. Ninety-six women (mean age = 34.60 ± 6.44 years) with a diagnosis of endometriosis took part to this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected by means of a structured ad hoc questionnaire. Metacognitive beliefs and sexual distress were assessed by means of the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ30) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale-R (FSDS-r). General chronic pain intensity was collected by means of a Numeric Rating Scale. Data were subjected to Hierarchical logistic regression. We found high percentages of dyspareunia and sexual distress (i.e., 66% and 76%). Findings suggested that dyspareunia and chronic pain did not predict sexual distress, while negative beliefs about worries predicted sexual distress over and above them (p = .040, odd ratio 1.159). In the target population, metacognitive beliefs may have more influence on sexual distress than pain symptomatology.