Your Pelvic Floor

The following pathway is meant as an evidence based guide developed by leading and internationally recognised Gynaecologist and Colorectal surgeons to offer guidance to both clinicians and patients.  The green lines demonstrate preferred options for treatment and the yellow represent reasonable options.

You should recognise the pathway is only guidance and is no substitute for one-on-one consultation with your specialist who is best placed to individualise your care and treatment.

An interactive version can also be found HERE.

The chart below can be used by clicking on any of the cells to display further information.

Summary of pathway findings:

• Obliterative surgery is a safe and efficacious option for the elderly or medically compromised who are happy to sacrifice sexual activity.
• In reconstructive surgery consider addition of apical support to both anterior and posterior vaginal repair
• The vaginal native tissue repair (sutures) is the preferred treatment of anterior vaginal prolapse
• The vaginal native tissue repair (sutures) is the preferred treatment of posterior vaginal prolapse (rectocele)
• In those with post-hysterectomy (vault) prolapse sacral colpopexy is the preferred apical option with vaginal based colpopexy being a reasonable alternative.
• In those with uterine prolapse hysterectomy and hysteropexy (uterine preservation) are both reasonable options however based solely on medical grounds the vaginal hysterectomy with apical support is the preferred option.
• Bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy (BSO) should be discussed at the time of hysterectomy in post-menopausal women.
• At prolapse surgery, those with pre-operative urinary stress incontinence and occult stress urinary incontinence should consider concomitant continence surgery.