Epidemiology, clinic, therapeutic, and outcome of pelvic organ prolapse: a retrospective single-center cohort study
Introduction:
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a major public health problem. This study aims to determine the incidence, sociodemographic profile of patients, the management and outcomes of POP in a maternity hospital with limited resources in Niger.
Methodology:
This was an eight-year retrospective cohort study involving the analysis of medical records from patients who underwent management of POP between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2022 in our department. The epidemiological data, treatment, and outcomes of POP were collated and subjected to analysis.
Results:
During the study period, 358 cases of POP were recorded out of a total of 12 536 patients treated in the department, representing a frequency of 2.8%. The mean age of the patients was 46.14 years (range: 17–90 years). The patients were identified as married (307 cases, 85.75%), unemployed (353 cases, 98.6%) and not attending school (332 cases, 92.74%). The largest number of cases were observed in large multiparous women (60.05%, 215 patients). The average parity was 6.5 children. The vast majority of patients (269 cases, 75.14%) lived in rural areas. The most frequent motif for consultation was the sensation of mass in the vagina (146 cases, 40.78%) and vulvar swelling (138 cases, 38.55%). The most frequent genital prolapses type was middle, made of the hysterocele essentially (150 cases, 41.90%). The stage III of genital prolapses was the most frequent in 76.51% (274 cases). All patients underwent surgical treatment (100%), and the vaginal access was most used in 57.55% (206 cases) of cases. Conservative treatment was performed in the majority of patients (197 cases, 55.02%). The intraoperative complications were vesical lesions (0.56%, two cases) and ureteral and vascular lesion (0.28%, one case).
Conclusion:
POP is a common occurrence in our region. Surgical treatment is the most practiced and hysterectomy by vaginal surgical approach is the most practiced.
