Introduction: There has been an increasing need for the terminology for the conservative management of female pelvic floor dysfunction to be collated in a clinically-based consensus report.
Methods: This report combines the input of members and elected nominees of the Standardization and Terminology Committees of two International Organizations, the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) and the International Continence Society (ICS), assisted at intervals by many external referees. An extensive process of nine rounds of internal and external review was developed to exhaustively examine each definition, with decision-making by collective opinion (consensus). Before opening up for comments on the webpages of ICS and IUGA, five experts from physiotherapy, neurology, urology, urogynecology and nursing were invited to comment on the paper.
Results: A terminology report for the conservative management of female pelvic floor dysfunction, encompassing over 200 separate definitions, has been developed. It is clinically-based with the most common symptoms, signs, assessments, diagnoses and treatments defined. Clarity and user-friendliness have been key aims to make it interpretable by practitioners and trainees in all the different specialty groups involved in female pelvic floor dysfunction. Ongoing review is not only anticipated but will be required to keep the document updated and as widely acceptable as possible.
Conclusion: A consensus-based terminology report for the conservative management of female pelvic floor dysfunction has been produced aimed at being a significant aid to clinical practice and a stimulus for research.
Keywords: Consensus; Conservative management; Female; Femme; Pelvic floor dysfunction; Prise en charge conservatrice; Terminologie; Terminology; Troubles pelvi-périnéaux.
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