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Mechanical properties of pelvic soft tissue of young women and impact of aging

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

The female pelvic floor is a complex network of ligaments and muscles whose mechanical properties have not been completely understood. The goal of this study is to understand the biomechanical properties of the pelvic floor tissues of young women and the impact of aging.

Methods

Biomechanical uniaxial tension tests were performed on pelvic floor tissues (ligaments and organs) of six young female cadavers (average 29 years old). Results have been analyzed in order to define the characteristics of the mechanical properties of young pelvic soft tissues. Results have been compared with those in the literature in order to understand the similarities and discrepancies between young and old patients.

Results

Damageable, nonlinear elastic biomechanical behavior is observed. The variation in stiffness among the pelvic floor organs could be shown. Ligaments and the vaginal wall are the most rigid organs, whereas the rectum and bladder tend to be less rigid (approximately two times less rigid for small deformations and three times less rigid for large deformations). This study shows that ligaments and the vaginal wall of young women have similar mechanical behavior while those of older women differ. Furthermore, young women’s tissues differ slightly from older women’s tissues.

Conclusions

Results show that aging and possibly diverse “trauma” have an impact on modifying the mechanical behavior of pelvic floor tissues. Over time pelvic floor ligaments and vaginal tissues will differentiate and acquire different mechanical behavior, as seen within the literature in older cadavers.

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Acknowledgements

The authors announce a financial support of basic research by Ethicon. M. Cosson is a consultant of Ethicon, AMS, Boston Scientific, and Allergan. P. Chantereau is an employee of Ethicon and in the process of a PhD under the supervision of Prof. Cosson and Prof. Brieu.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynaecology, Jeanne de Flandre Hospital-CHRU de Lille; Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale U703, University Nord de France, Lille, France

    P. Chantereau & M. Cosson

  2. LML, Ecole Centrale de Lille, Boulevard Paul Langevin, 59650, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France

    M. Brieu

  3. Department of Forensic Medicine, University Hospital, Hamburg, Germany

    M. Kammal

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Freiburg, Germany

    J. Farthmann & B. Gabriel

Authors
  1. P. Chantereau
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  2. M. Brieu
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  3. M. Kammal
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  4. J. Farthmann
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  5. B. Gabriel
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  6. M. Cosson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Chantereau.

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Chantereau, P., Brieu, M., Kammal, M. et al. Mechanical properties of pelvic soft tissue of young women and impact of aging. Int Urogynecol J 25, 1547–1553 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-014-2439-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-014-2439-1

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