Introduction and hypothesis: This work was conducted to study the Doppler ureteric jets in the assessment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) patients.
Methods: Forty POP-Q stage ≧ III patients and 20 without POP were assessed with color Doppler ultrasonography.
Results: Among 40 POP, 28 had bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and 4 had hydronephrosis. Comparing POP and controls, the difference in mean frequency, mean duration, and mean maximum velocity of ureteric jets was not statistically significant. The ureteric jets of POP with BOO are of longer duration and lower velocity. The frequency of ureteric jets was lower in POP with hydronephrosis. Plateau-type waveforms were much more common among POP associated with voiding and ureteric dysfunction.
Conclusions: The longer duration and lower velocity of the ureteric jet are strongly correlated with prolapse-associated BOO. The plateau-type waveform and decrease in frequency of ureteric jets indicate possible hydronephrosis. Further investigation is needed to confirm the consistency of this study.