Information Priorities for Deciding on Treatment of Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

Objective: The objective of this study was to elicit information priorities from women considering treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study of women before and after treatment of stage II or higher POP. Women were recruited either at the conclusion of their initial evaluation (before treatment) or at postoperative or pessary maintenance visits (after treatment).

Functional disability among older women with fecal incontinence.

Objective: The prevalence of functional disability for basic activities of daily living (ADLs) in older women with fecal incontinence (FI) is not well characterized. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of functional disability among community-dwelling older women with FI.

Study Design: We conducted a secondary database analysis of the 2005-2006 National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, a cross-sectional study of community-dwelling older adults that had been conducted by single in-home interviews.

Functional disability and compromised mobility among older women with urinary incontinence.

Objective: Our objective was to determine the prevalence of functional disability among older women with urinary incontinence (UI).

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2005-2006 National Social Life, Health and Aging Project. Daily UI was defined as answering "daily" to the question, "How frequently… have you had difficulty controlling your bladder, including leaking small amounts of urine, leaking when you cough or sneeze, or not being able to make it to the bathroom on time?" We then explored functional status.

Pseudolipomatosis in hysteroscopically resected tissues from the gynecologic tract: pathologic description and frequency.

Pseudolipomatosis is an artifactual microscopic change in tissues that resembles fatty infiltration, most often described in the gastrointestinal tract. The fatlike spaces represent air or gas bubbles that enter the mucosa through microscopic ruptures secondary to gaseous insufflation. We report a series of cases of pseudolipomatosis encountered in gynecologic tissues removed during hysteroscopic procedures, a finding not previously described.

Urodynamic leak point pressures weakly correlate with subjective urinary incontinence severity.

Objective: To evaluate preoperative abdominal leak point pressures (ALPP) with pre- and postoperative Incontinence Severity Index (ISI) scores.

Methods: A review of women who underwent a midurethral sling procedure between August 2004 and April 2006 was conducted. Eligible women completed preoperative urodynamic testing with ALPP determination and subjective incontinence severity assessment using the ISI before and 6 weeks after surgery.

Does pelvic organ prolapse reduction affect abdominal leak point pressures?

Objective: To determine if pelvic organ prolapse reduction decreases cystometric leak point pressure.

Study Design: A retrospective review was performed of women with pelvic organ prolapse points Aa, Ba or C > or = -1 cm that leaked with and without vaginal support (barrier testing) during multichannel urodynamic investigation (N=44). An analysis of the mean and difference between leak point pressure (LPP) (vesicle pressure) with and without prolapse reduction was used to determine significance.

Clerkship enhancement of interpersonal skills.

Background: The purpose of this research was to determine if students improve interpersonal skills as the third year progresses despite the lack of any specific curriculum or teaching methods.

Methods: Third-year students completed 1 of 3 16-week sequential clerkship blocks. Each student completed a clinical performance examination before and after clerkship consisting of a videotaped standardized patient interview and physical examination.