Modern technologies in the assessment and treatment of pelvic organ prolapse - experimental and clinical studies

This project has shown that pelvic organ prolapse is linked with maternal age and delivery-related injuries. Up to every eight women may have a symptomatic prolapse already one year after their first delivery. Moreover, those with muscle injury have a higher short-term risk of pelvic organ prolapse development. To improve our knowledge we further explored the potential of an ovine model for prolapse and vaginal surgery. We showed that many anatomical and morphological features and vaginal wall changes induced by specific lifespan factors (first delivery, artificial menopause, and hormonal replacement) are similar to what is observed in women. We further used this model for testing novel implants and mesh visualization techniques. We believe that the ovine model can be used in future research on pelvic organ prolapse pathophysiology and novel treatment modalities.