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Pelvic Adhesions
Gynecology and Uro-Gynecology Education, Information, and
Resources for Dads and Husbands What are Pelvic Adhesions? Pelvic adhesions are bands of scarlike tissue that form between two surfaces inside the body. Inflammation from infection, surgery, or trauma can cause tissues to bond to other tissues or organs. Pelvic adhesions are the cause of many gynecological problems including significant pain, infertility and conception. Pelvic adhesions are irritations of a woman's pelvic organs as a result of a "pelvic inflammatory event" or from trauma to the area such as in the case of pelvic or gynecological surgery.
Examples of a pelvic inflammatory event include; fallopian tube infections that might occur from endometriosis, removal of an ovarian cyst, sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, post surgery infections, and even appendicitis and appendectomies.
As a woman's body's pelvic area recovers from an inflammation, trauma or surgery, it begins the healing process and starts to repair itself. The woman's body and its' healing process may cause some tissues and structures in the pelvis to become unintentionally "stuck" to another tissue or structure. In a normal woman's healthy pelvis, this space is lined with a tissue called the peritoneum, which also covers the outside of organs located in the abdomen and pelvis. In the pelvis of a non-injured/non-irritated woman, the peritoneum can be very "slippery" with the the organs and structures lying immediately next to each other that "slip" off each other and do not become bonded together. With a woman who has had a pelvic inflammation, trauma or injury, her body's healing process starts a sequence of events that may result in some of the pelvic tissues becoming "stuck" to or "adhering" to tissues or organs next to the inflamed, or injured tissue, and when this occurs, the outcome may be pelvic adhesions. The surgical procedure for removing pelvic adhesions is known as "adhesiolysis." Pelvic adhesions removed through adhesiolysis surgery can be a costly medical problem. According to a study, adhesiolysis (the surgery that removes pelvic adhesions) was responsible for about 450,000 adhesiolysis surgeries and hospitalizations involving the female reproductive system and digestive tract occurred in 1993 alone and accounted for over $2 billion in hospitalization and surgeon expenditures. What are surgical adhesions? Surgical adhesions are very similar to pelvic adhesions. Surgical adhesions may begin forming within 3-5 days after surgery. What is Adhesiolysis? Treatment for the removal of Pelvic Adhesions is through a surgical procedure called "adhesiolysis." The adhesiolysis procedure may involve cutting and releasing the adhesions during a laparoscopy procedure or treating the adhesions during a laparotomy.
What is Pelvic Organ Prolapse? Pelvic Organ Prolapse is a very common condition, particularly among older women. It's estimated that half of women who have children will experience some form of Pelvic Organ Prolapse in later life. Many women, particularly because they may no longer be sexually active, and fail to continue receiving their annual pelvic exams, don't seek help from their doctor. Therefore, the actual number of women affected by Pelvic Organ Prolapse is unknown.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse may also be called; genital prolapse, pelvic relaxation, pelvic prolapse, uterine prolapse, uterovaginal prolapse, pelvic floor disorder, urogenital prolapse or vaginal wall prolapse. What is Pelvic Prolapse? Pelvic Prolapse is another term used for "Pelvic Organ Prolapse." Pelvic Prolapse is a very common condition, particularly among older women. It's estimated that half of women who have children will experience some form of Pelvic Organ Prolapse in later life. Many women, particularly because they may no longer be sexually active, and fail to continue receiving their annual pelvic exams, don't seek help from their doctor. Therefore, the actual number of women affected by Pelvic Organ Prolapse is unknown.
Pelvic Prolapse may also be called; genital prolapse, pelvic relaxation, uterine prolapse, uterovaginal prolapse, pelvic floor disorder, urogenital prolapse or vaginal wall prolapse.
What is a Prolapsed Uterus? A prolapsed uterus refers to a collapsed uterus, or descended uterus, or other change in the position of the uterus in relation to the surrounding structures within the pelvis. The pelvis contains many soft tissue structures vital to normal body functions, supported primarily by the diaphragms, layers of muscles, fibrous coverings called fasciae, and various ligaments and tendons. These soft tissues of the pelvis derive their ultimate support from the bony pelvis.
A prolapsed uterus may be one of three types, depending on the severity:
• First-degree prolapse occurs when the uterus sags downward into the upper
vagina.
• Second-degree prolapse occurs when the cervix is at or near the outside of the
vagina.
• Third-degree prolapse (sometimes referred to as total prolapse) occurs when the entire uterus extends outside the vagina.
What is a Vaginal Vault Prolapse?
The vaginal vault is the area at the top of the vagina, next to and adjacent to the cervix. It can only “fall” or descend downwards toward the introitus, or the entrance of the vagina, after a woman's womb has been removed (hysterectomy). Vaginal Vault Prolapse occurs in about 15% of women who have had a hysterectomy for uterine prolapse, and in about 1% of women who have had a hysterectomy for other reasons. Watch for our new book, now being reviewed by several leading publishers:
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