Pessary treatment of pelvic relaxation: factors affecting successful fitting and continued use

The aims of this study were to determine predictors of successful pessary fitting and continued pessary use in patients with pelvic relaxation.

Retrospective observational study.

The medical records of 130 consecutive patients evaluated for pessary treatment of pelvic relaxation by a single specially trained nurse practitioner (CRJ) at Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Harbor City, Calif, between May 1, 1997, and June 30, 2002, were retrospectively reviewed.

Voiding diaries, data collection sheet, and questionnaires.

The medical records of the 130 patients were retrospectively reviewed, and data were recorded on data collection sheets. Patients using pessaries completed a questionnaire to assess treatment effectiveness.

Coexisting stress urinary incontinence and previous prolapse and cystocele/rectocele repairs were each found to be independent predictors of unsuccessful pessary fitting. Fifty percent of successfully fitted patients had discontinued pessary use by 24 months. Current pessary users were more likely to have undergone prior pelvic reconstructive surgery (37% vs 13%, P = .02), less likely to require a space-filling pessary (13% vs 37%, P = .03), and more likely to recommend pessary to their friends or family (87% vs 50%, P = .007) compared to patients who discontinued pessary use.

Prior pelvic reconstructive surgery is associated with an increased risk of unsuccessful pessary fitting; however, those patients who are successfully fitted tend to continue pessary use.