Vaginal pessary for pelvic organ prolapse: A survey among french gynecological surgeons

OBJECTIVE: Because pessaries may offer symptomatic improvement for women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP), the study aimed to assess the opinion and knowledge of participants to a french general surgical gynecological congress, about this device.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: An anonymous survey was carried out near 150 surgeons attending a congress by handing them a questionnaire.

RESULTS: The average age of the 70 respondents was 50 years. 87.7 % were comfortable with fitting and monitoring pessary, 54.3 % think that a pessary can be offered as a first-line treatment in the management of POP. However, main indications of vaginal device are still old women and contraindications to surgery ; 31.4 % do not associate local estrogen therapy with a pessary for postmenopausal women.

CONCLUSION: The majority declares to be comfortable with pessaries, is ready to prescribe it as a first-line treatment and use local estrogen if necessary. Even if change of ideas seems to emerge about pessary, a change in beliefs and habits is still necessary. This progress can be achieved through doctors fully informed.