The aim of this study was to assess long-term pelvic floor symptoms after an obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI).
This retrospective cohort study included 237 cases of OASI (0.86% of deliveries) identified at Poitiers University Hospital between 2000 and 2011. Symptoms were assessed using validated self-administered questionnaires, including Female Pelvic Floor Questionnaire, Pescatori anal incontinence score, EuroQoL five-dimension score, and pain visual analogue scale (VAS).
One hundred and sixty women (67%) filled out the questionnaires, on average 46 months after delivery (8-152). Among them, 93 (54%) reported at least one symptom occurring "frequently" (the most common being dyspareunia), and 45 (28%) a symptom occurring "daily" (the most common being flatus incontinence). Anal incontinence was reported by 32 (20%) women, flatus incontinence "frequently" or "daily" by 28 (18%), and stool incontinence "frequently" or "daily" by 9 (6%). Urinary incontinence was reported "frequently" or "daily" by 27 women (17%) at stress, 17 (11%) at urge, and 11 (7%) at mixed circumstances. Prolapse symptoms were reported "frequently" or "daily" by 6 women (4%). Pain during intercourse was reported "frequently" or "daily" by 17 women (11%). Twenty-four women (18%) reported chronic pelvic pain (VAS score≥4/10). Ninety-five percent of women reported a normal quality of life for mobility, self-care, and usual activities; however, alterations in pain/discomfort (32%) and anxiety/depression (33%) domains were frequently reported.
Pelvic floor symptoms 4 years after OASI were highly prevalent.
Gynécologie, obstétrique & fertilité. 2016 Jul 19 [Epub]
D Desseauve, S Proust, C Carlier-Guerin, C Rutten, F Pierre, X Fritel
Université de Poitiers, CHU de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France; Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, centre hospitalier universitaire de Poitiers, 2, rue de la Milétrie, BP 577, 86021 Poitiers, France. Electronic address: ., Université de Poitiers, CHU de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France; Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, centre hospitalier universitaire de Poitiers, 2, rue de la Milétrie, BP 577, 86021 Poitiers, France., Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, centre hospitalier universitaire de Poitiers, 2, rue de la Milétrie, BP 577, 86021 Poitiers, France., Université de Poitiers, CHU de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France., Université de Poitiers, CHU de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France; Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, centre hospitalier universitaire de Poitiers, 2, rue de la Milétrie, BP 577, 86021 Poitiers, France., Université de Poitiers, CHU de Poitiers, 86021 Poitiers, France; Service de gynécologie-obstétrique et médecine de la reproduction, centre hospitalier universitaire de Poitiers, 2, rue de la Milétrie, BP 577, 86021 Poitiers, France.