A first-line treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) for at least three months. The key problem is that patients do not understand the importance of these exercises and their effectiveness. Mobile health apps offer new possibilities to increase treatment adherence. This study compared a reduction in SUI, exercise adherence, and quality of life in PFMT with animation vs. standard instruction. A prospective, single-blind, randomized control trial was collected. SUI patients were randomized into the application or control groups confirmed using a one-hour pad test. In the intervention group, the PFMT application was applied via mobile phone (PFMT with animations, recording system, and reminder system). The standard exercise protocol was similar in both groups. Additional follow-up was conducted at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. A total of 51 participants were randomized to the application (n = 26) and control groups (n = 25), respectively. At the 12-week follow-up, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of SUI cure rate, SUI severity by pad test, and daily SUI episodes from the bladder diary (p-value of 0.695, 0.472, and 0.338, respectively). The mean PFME adherence in the application group was higher than the control group at 8 weeks (66.3 ± 13.6 vs. 52.7 ± 16.6, p = 0.002) and 12 weeks (59.1 ± 13.9 vs. 37.8 ± 11.0, p = 0.001). The application group reported no difference from the conventional PFMT group in terms of improvements in SUI cure rate, symptom severity, and quality of life effects at 12-week follow-up. However, the improvement evaluated by the mean difference in SUI episodes and quality of life effects (ICIQ-UI SF) reported a better outcome in the mobile app group. The PFMT application has been proven to be an effective tool that improves PFMT adherence.
Background: Pelvic organ prolapse is a common condition of pelvic floor dysfunction in women, especially in adult vaginally parous and elderly women. Because of its anatomy, the anterior compartment has a significant effect on urinary symptoms. Anterior colporrhaphy and colpocleisis are major anterior compartment prolapse-related surgeries. As we know, postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is one of the most common complications following pelvic floor surgery. To prevent this complication, indwelling bladder catheterization is routinely applied. In contrast, to minimize risk of infection and the patient’s discomfort, the catheter should be removed as soon as possible. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding the optimal timing for catheter removal. Therefore, the aim of this trial is to compare the rate of POUR after anterior prolapse surgery between early transurethral catheter removal (24 h postoperatively) and our standard practice (on postoperative day 3). Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial among patients undergoing anterior compartment prolapse surgery between 2020 and 2021 at a university hospital. Women were randomized into two groups. After removal, if the second void residual urine volume exceeded 150 mL, POUR was diagnosed, and intermittent catheterization was performed. The primary outcome was the POUR rate. The secondary outcomes included urinary tract infection, asymptomatic bacteriuria, time to ambulation, time to spontaneous voiding, length of hospitalization, and patient satisfaction. Analysis was performed according to the intention to treat principle. The calculated sample size was 68 patients (34 patients in each group) for a 95% confidence interval, 80% power, 5% probability of type I error, and 10% data loss. Discussion: This study demonstrated that early catheter removal was comparable in POUR rate to conventional treatment with shorter hospitalization among patients undergoing anterior compartment prolapse surgery. Additionally, we observed no re-hospitalization owing to POUR. Therefore, early transurethral catheter removal is preferable following anterior compartment prolapse-related surgery.
Background: The current understanding of the relationship between different degrees of prolapse and the impact of prolapse in different compartments on voiding difficulty (VD) and overactive bladder (OAB) remains insufficient and requires further research. This study aimed to investigate the association between pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and the risk of VD and OAB. Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted among women diagnosed with POP at urogynaecology clinic in a university hospital from January 2018 to December 2020. Patients were divided into two case events (VD and OAB) and a control group (POP without lower urinary tract symptoms [LUTS]). Associations between the site and severity of prolapse in the case and control groups were investigated to identify the factors involved in VD and OAB. Results: The study included 151 cases of women with POP experiencing VD, 139 instances of OAB, and 151 women without LUTS in the control group. Most women with POP were postmenopausal, multiparous, and overweight. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the only factor associated with VD and OAB among women with POP was an advanced stage of anterior compartment prolapse (odds ratio [OR] 4.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.36–10.25, p < 0.001, OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.09–4.78, p < 0.03, respectively). Conclusions: An advanced stage of anterior compartment prolapse was the main factor that affected VD and OAB in women with POP.
14 May 2026 in International Urogynecology Journal