Recent developments in pelvic organ prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse is a common worldwide problem. Recent advances in our understanding of its pathophysiology, along with progress made in the evaluation and treatment of pelvic support defects, are discussed. Although the pathophysiology of this condition is still not completely understood, genetic factors and environmental factors are involved. Understanding these factors better will help us to approach treatment of pelvic organ prolapse in a more logical manner. Multiple surgical techniques are available for pelvic relaxation, with a wide range of success rates ranging from 77 to 97% for various procedures. New techniques need to be studied further before being incorporated into routine practice. Better standardization of evaluation methods can help in such clinical studies. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.