Pre- and Post-Surgical MRI Analysis of Levator Ani in Pelvic Organ Prolapse Patients: A Single-Center Study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND This single-center study involved 33 women diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse (POP), aiming to evaluate the levator ani muscle (LAM) using pre- and post-surgery magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIAL AND METHODS MRI data of 33 women were analyzed before and after POP surgery. Diagnoses used the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) system, including 10 cases of stage II, 5 of stage III, and 18 of stage IV with pelvic organ prolapse. All participants underwent pelvic floor reconstruction surgery. Morphological parameters, including the levator hiatus's length, width, area, and the distance between the LAMs and the pubic symphysis's inferior point, were assessed before and after surgery. RESULTS Significant pre- and post-surgery differences were observed in the levator hiatus's shape, length, width, and area, and the distance between levator ani and pubic symphysis in both static and Valsalva states. CONCLUSIONS We found structural changes in the LAM morphology in women with POP, as assessed by MRI, suggesting potential improvements in clinical function.