The pelvic floor is a complex multifunctional structure that corresponds to the genito-urinary-anal area and consists of muscle and connective tissue. It supports the urinary, fecal, sexual and reproductive functions and pelvic statics. The symptoms caused by pelvic floor dysfunction often affect the quality of life of those who are afflicted, worsening significantly more aspects of daily life....

Pelvic floor muscle exercises for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence were reported 45 years ago. However, few studies have been made on the long-term outcome and clinical effects in elderly people. We put 123 incontinent women on an intensive exercise programme for 8 weeks and followed them for more than 12 months; 15 patients were over 65 years old and 108 under 65 years old. Self-re...

PURPOSE We provide a 3-dimensional (3D) model of the pelvic floor musculature in patients with classic bladder exstrophy using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS Five male infants 1 day to 12 months old underwent MRI of the pelvis, which was compared to pelvic MRI of 1 male infant without pelvic floor abnormalities. Of the patients 3 were studied before primary closure an...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate pelvic floor muscle strength before and after vaginal birth. DESIGN Prospective repeated measures study. SETTING Main district hospital. POPULATION Fifty-five women: 25 primiparae and 20 multiparae following vaginal birth, and 10 women following elective caesarean delivery as a control group. METHODS Pelvic muscle strength was evaluated by palpation, perineometry a...

Background Male chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) is a heterogeneous constellation of symptoms that causes significant impairment and is often challenging to treat. In this prospective study, we evaluated men with CPPS who underwent comprehensive pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) program. We used the previously validated Genitourinary Pain Index (GUPI) to measure outcomes. Methods We inc...

BACKGROUND Pelvic floor muscle training is effective and recommended as first-line therapy for female patients with stress urinary incontinence. However, standard pelvic floor physiotherapy concentrates on voluntary contractions even though the situations provoking stress urinary incontinence (for example, sneezing, coughing, running) require involuntary fast reflexive pelvic floor muscle contr...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Urinary incontinence (UI) has been defined as a condition in which the involuntary loss of urine is a social or hygienic problem and is objectively demonstrable. Urinary incontinence is a common health problem that carries with it significant medical, psychosocial and economic burdens. Fecal incontinence has been defined as the involuntary or inappropriate passing of liquid or...

When Policy Topic is covered Biofeedback for constipation in adults may be considered medically necessary for patients with dyssynergia-type constipation as demonstrated by meeting all 3 of the following criteria: 1. Symptoms of functional constipation that meet ROME III criteria (see Policy Guidelines). 2. Objective physiologic evidence of pelvic floor dyssynergia (see Policy Guidelines) demon...

Urinary incontinence "as the involuntary loss of urine, which conditions a social and hygienic problem" is defined. There are a variety of techniques for the treatment of urinary incontinence. Our goal is to determine the clinical effectiveness of different methods used to train the musculature of the pelvic floor as treatment for female urinary incontinence, both stress and mixed, and its cont...