COLLAGEN CONTENT OF NON-SUPPORT TISSUE IN PELVIC ORGAN PROLAPSE AND STRESS URINARY INCONTINENCE

Ozgur H. Harmanli, MD^a, Michael Y. Wong, MD, Ph.D.^a, Mehmet Agar, MD^a, Vani Dandolu, MD^a, M. H. Terry Grody, MD^b


   Objective: The reduction in the collagen content of the pelvic floor tissue of the patients with pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence has been documented previously. However this is less clear for non-support tissue. We aimed to compare the collagen content of the uterine cervix, a non-support tissue, between women with, and without pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence.

   Methods: The cervical collagen content of 14 consecutive patients with and 17 without pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence was determined. Specimens were obtained during surgery for benign gynecologic conditions.

   Results: Groups were similar with respect to age, parity, body mass index and tobacco use. There was significantly less collagen in the cervices of the women with pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence compared to the controls (p=0.0104). The mean collagen content was 8.10% + 3.43% in the group with pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence, and 12.35% + 0.844% in the control group. Furthermore age parity, body mass index or tobacco use had no significant relationship to collagen content.

   Conclusion: The cervical collagen content is significantly decreased in women with pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence regardless of age, parity, body mass index or tobacco use.

   Keywords: pelvic organ prolapse, collagen content, uterine cervix