Are You a Candidate for Pelvic Floor Reconstruction?

About one in five women in the United States have pelvic organ prolapse and experience frequent leaks of urine and pelvic pain.

At Urology Specialist Group, we offer services to relieve symptoms of a pelvic floor disorder including pelvic floor reconstruction. Our team of specialists have extensive experience using minimally invasive robotic surgery techniques to restore function in your pelvic floor and improve its long-term health.

Who gets pelvic organ prolapse?

A woman’s pelvic floor has muscles that hold the pelvic organs, including your uterus, vagina, cervix, bladder, urethra, and rectum, in place.

When these muscles weaken, they allow one or more of the pelvic organs to drop down and prolapse, or protrude, into the vagina.

Age-related changes in your pelvic floor muscles can cause weakening that leads to prolapse. You might also develop pelvic organ prolapse because of childbirth, hormone changes during menopause, or following a hysterectomy.

Symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse include:

• Painful sex
• Pelvic pressure
• Urinary incontinence
• Difficulties having a bowel movement
• Trouble inserting or wearing tampons

The pain of pelvic organ prolapse can worsen with physical activity or sudden movements, like coughing or laughing. You might also feel a persistent ache or fullness in your pelvis.

Because symptoms of pelvic floor disorders can be embarrassing to talk about, many women don’t seek treatment for their condition.

Our urology specialists encourage you to schedule an exam if you have symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse. We can evaluate the severity of your condition through a physical exam and customize a treatment plan to relieve your symptoms and prevent a worsening of your condition.

When reconstruction surgery might be right for you

There are a number of ways to treat pelvic organ prolapse and your treatment plan depends on the severity of your symptoms, your age, and the type of prolapse you have.

Nonsurgical treatments typically involve engaging in pelvic floor exercises to strengthen your muscles to better support your pelvic organs. You might also need to change your diet to ensure you’re getting enough fiber to prevent straining from constipation, which can worsen your condition.

There are also pessary devices that you insert in your vagina to support your pelvic floor organs. A pessary can relieve symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse, including urinary incontinence.

When these therapies aren’t providing effective relief of your symptoms or you have severe prolapse, our Urology Specialist Group providers can recommend you for surgery.

An overview of pelvic floor reconstruction

Pelvic floor reconstruction surgery focuses on repairing your pelvic floor muscles with a synthetic mesh.

Our surgeons use robotic surgery technology to complete the procedure without causing unnecessary trauma to your body. Through small incisions in your abdomen, they apply the surgical mesh to your muscles to increase their strength and their support of your pelvic organs.

Pelvic reconstruction surgery is a treatment option for women who are still sexually active and have severe prolapse of the uterus or vagina.

You can expect to need time to recover after surgery and limit strenuous activity for up to six weeks to reduce strain on your pelvis.

To find out if you’re a candidate for pelvic floor reconstruction, call the Urology Specialist Group office nearest you or schedule a consultation through the online booking system.