[New disposable exploratory vaginal valve: advantages and efficacy]

In current clinical practice, proctological diseases are now classed more appropriately as pertaining to the area of pelvic floor dysfunction. For this reason all proctological examinations should be combined with a gynaecological assessment. The authors report the results of clinical experimentation with a new vaginal valve for use after surgery and in outpatient settings for exploratory purposes. The most important characteristics of the new valve are small size, simple shape and safe manoeuvrability in the vaginal canal, minimising vaginal injury. A total of 50 patients with symptomatic anal pathologies were submitted to surgery and subsequently followed-up with periodic outpatient examinations. The new disposable vaginal valve, used for exploratory purposes, permits complete, thorough exploration of the vagina, preserving the vaginal wall and avoiding misdiagnosis of possible associated pathologies or iatrogenic lesions related to surgery. The new vaginal valve was judged to be helpful in all treated cases, proving simple to use, and enabling vaginal exploration to be performed without traumatism during surgery. Moreover, the valve can be a useful accessory for the surgeon, to be used in everyday practice when vaginal exploration is necessary and particularly for the postoperative monitoring of transanal rectocele surgery.