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Can we evaluate the levator ani after Kegel exercise in women with pelvic organ prolapse by transperineal elastography? A preliminary study

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Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the stiffness variation of the levator ani in patients with stage I/II pelvic organ prolapse (POP) before and after Kegel exercises by transperineal elastography.

Methods

A total of 20 patients who were diagnosed with staged I/II POP underwent conventional transperineal ultrasound and elastography. For each patient, the levator ani was located and evaluated in the state of Valsalva. After Kegel exercises for 12 weeks, transperineal ultrasound and elastography were repeated. The elasticity images were assessed using a four-point scale scoring system.

Results

Of the 20 cases, four had an elastography score of 1, 14 had a score of 2, two had a score of 3, and no cases had a score of 4 in the levator ani before Kegel exercises. After Kegel exercises, one had an elastography score of 1, two had a score of 2, 15 had a score of 3, and two cases had a score of 4. The mean elastography score was statistically significantly higher for the levator ani after Kegel exercises (2.90 ± 0.48) than for the baseline score (1.90 ± 0.29) (p = 0.025).

Conclusions

Transperineal elastography was an effective and useful tool in the evaluation of the levator ani in patients with POP-Q stage I/II before and after Kegel exercises.

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Author notes

  1. Meng Xie and Xuyin Zhang contributed equally to this article.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ultrasound, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, 128 Shenyang Road, Shanghai, 200090, China

    Meng Xie

  2. Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, 128 Shenyang Road, Shanghai, 200090, China

    Xuyin Zhang, Xiaodan Zhang & Keqin Hua

  3. Department of Ultrasound, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 111 Yixueyuan Road, Shanghai, 200032, China

    Wenping Wang

Authors
  1. Meng Xie
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  2. Xuyin Zhang
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  3. Xiaodan Zhang
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  4. Wenping Wang
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  5. Keqin Hua
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Contributions

MX performed elastography and ultrasound. XZ wrote paper. XZ analyzed data, recruited patients. WW analyzed images. KH designed study, revised paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Keqin Hua.

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We declare that we have no conflicts of interest.

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Cite this article

Xie, M., Zhang, X., Zhang, X. et al. Can we evaluate the levator ani after Kegel exercise in women with pelvic organ prolapse by transperineal elastography? A preliminary study. J Med Ultrasonics 45, 437–441 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-018-0862-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10396-018-0862-5

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