Background: The non-surgical solution for Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) typically consists of a pessary fitting. We aimed to assess patient satisfaction and symptom improvement 6 months after a pessary fitting and to identify risk factors associated with pessary failure.
Methods: Six months after a pessary fitting, patient satisfaction was assessed by the PGII score; symptoms and quality of life were assessed using validated questionnaires (PFDI-20, ICIQ-SF, PISQ-12, USP, and PFIQ-7).
Results: Of the 190 patients included in the study (mean age of 66.7 years), 141 (74%) and 113 (59%) completed the follow-up questionnaires at 1 and 6 months, respectively. Nearly all the women were menopausal (94.6%) and 45.2% declared being sexually active at inclusion. The satisfaction rate was 84.3% and 87.4% at 1 and 6 months, respectively. The global symptom score PFDI-20 had significantly improved at 6 months. A high body mass index (RR = 1.06, CI95%: [1.02-1.09]), as well as high PFDI-20 (1.05 [1.01-1.09]), PFIQ7 (1.04 [1.01, 1.08]), and PISQ12 scores at inclusion (0.75 [0.60, 0.93]), as well as higher GH and GH/TVL measurements (1.49 [1.25-1.78] and 1.39 [1.23-1.57], respectively) were associated with pessary failure.
Conclusions: Pessary seems to be an effective treatment for POP with high patient satisfaction. Higher BMI, higher symptom scores, and greater genital hiatus measurements before insertion are risk factors for failure at 6 months.
Keywords: pelvic organ prolapse; pessary; quality of life; satisfaction.