Ginástica hipopressiva como recurso proprioceptivo para os músculos do assoalho pélvico de mulheres incontinentes / Hypopressive gymnastics as resource for perineal proprioception in women with urinary incontinence

Introdução: Está amplamente descrito na literatura que as mulheres com e sem disfunção do assoalho pélvico apresentam grande dificuldade em realizar a contração adequada dos músculos perineais.A Ginástica Hipopressiva poderia facilitar o entendimento da correta contração uma vez que supostamente promove contração reflexa dos músculos do assoalho pélvico (MAP) durante sua realização.Objetivo: Avaliar a função dos MAP antes e após protocolo de exercícios hipopressivos para melhora da propriocepção perineal em mulheres com incontinência urinária de esforço (IUE). Métodos:Foram incluídas 14 mulheres com IUE que se submeteram a protocolo de três sessões individuais, com conteúdo padronizado,que incluiu o aprendizado dos exercícios hipopressivos em etapas.Após este período de aprendizado, as pacientes se submeteram a12 semanas de exercícios domiciliares, com sessões mensais com o fisioterapeuta. A cada sessão, as pacientes apresentavam diário de exercícios preenchido para mensuração da aderência ao tratamento.A função dos MAP foi mensurada antes e após o tratamento por meio de palpação bidigital, utilizando-se a escada de Oxford, o endurance muscular e o número de contrações rápidas. Resultados:Houve melhora em todos os parâmetros de função muscular avaliados:Oxford (p = 0,0005); endurance (p = 0,0001) e número de contrações rápidas (p < 0,0001). Conclusão: Houve aumento da função muscular do assoalho pélvico após prática de exercícios hipopressivos para melhora da propriocepção perineal.

Introduction: It is widely reported in the literature that womenwith and without pelvic floor dysfunction have great difficulty inperforming adequate contraction of the perineal muscles. Hypopressive Gymnastics could facilitate the correct understanding ofcontraction since that supposedly promotes reflex contraction of thepelvic floor muscles (PFM) during its implementation. Objective: Toevaluate the function of PFM before and after hypopressive exercise protocol to improve perineal proprioception in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods: Were included 14 women with SUI who underwent a protocol of 3 individual sessions with standardized content, which included learning of the hypopressive exercises in stages. After this learning period, patients underwent12 weeks of home exercise, with monthly sessions with the physiotherapist.At each session, the patients presented daily exercisesjournal to measure adherence. The role of PFM was measuredbefore and after treatment by bidigital palpation, using the Oxfordscale, muscular endurance and the number of rapid contractions. Results: Was observed improvement in all evaluated parameters of muscle function: Oxford (p = 0.0005), endurance (p = 0.0001)and number of rapid contractions (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Wasobserved increased pelvic floor muscle function after hypopressive exercise for improving perineal proprioception.

Pregnancy after uterine arterial embolization

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pregnancy outcomes, complications and neonatal outcomes in women who had previously undergone uterine arterial embolization. METHODS: A retrospective study of 187 patients treated with uterine arterial embolization for symptomatic uterine fibroids between 2005-2008 was performed. Uterine arterial embolization was performed using polyvinyl alcohol particles (500-900 mm in diameter). Pregnancies were identified using screening questionnaires and the study database. RESULTS: There were 15 spontaneous pregnancies. Of these, 12.5 percent were miscarriages (n = 2), and 87.5 percent were successful live births (n = 14). The gestation time for the pregnancies with successful live births ranged from 36 to 39.2 weeks. The mean time between embolization and conception was 23.8 months (range, 5-54). One of the pregnancies resulted in twins. The newborn weights (n = 14) ranged from 2.260 to 3.605 kg (mean, 3.072 kg). One (7.1 percent) was considered to have a low birth weight (2.260 kg). There were two cases of placenta accreta (12.5 percent, treated with hysterectomy in one case [6.3 percent]), one case of premature rupture of the membranes (PRM) (6.3 percent), and one case of preeclampsia (6.3 percent). All of the patients were delivered via Cesarean section. CONCLUSION: In this study, there was an increased risk of Cesarean delivery. There were no other major obstetric risks, suggesting that pregnancy after uterine arterial embolization is possible without significant morbidity or mortality.

Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle training, electrical stimulation, vaginal cones, and no active treatment in the management of stress urinary incontinence

PURPOSE: To compare the effectiveness of pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, vaginal cones, and no active treatment in women with urodynamic stress urinary incontinence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred eighteen subjects were randomly selected to recieve pelvic floor exercises (n=31), ES (n=30), vaginal cones (n=27), or no treatment (untreated control) (n=30). Women were evaluated before and after completion of six months of treatment by the pad test, quality of life questionnaire (I-QOL), urodynamic test, voiding diary, and subjective response. RESULTS: In the objective evaluation, we observed a statistically significant reduction in the pad test (p=0.003), in the number of stress urinary episodes (p<0.001), and a significant improvement in the quality of life (p<0.001) in subjects who used pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, and vaginal cones compared to the control group. No significant difference was found between groups in the urodynamic parameters. In the subjective evaluation, 58 percent, 55 percent, and 54 percent of women who had used pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, and vaginal cones, respectively, reported being satisfied after treatment. In the control group, only 21 percent patients were satisfied with the treatment. CONCLUSION: Based on this study, pelvic floor exercises, electrical stimulation, and vaginal cones are equally effective treatments and are far superior to no treatment in women with urodynamic stress urinary incontinence.

Influence of ovarian hormones deprivation on gene expression in the lower urinary tract of rats

OBJECTIVE: Identify the influence of ovarian hormone deprivation in expression genes on the lower urinary tract of rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study deals with gene screening on lower urinary tract of rats. Fifty isogenic rats divided in two groups of twenty-five animals have their lower urinary tract surgically removed: group I, ovariectomized rats 30 days prior to surgery; group II, non-ovariectomized rats. Total RNA was isolated from bladder and urethra, and differential expression of genes was analyzed quantitative, qualitative and comparatively by array technology and RT-PCR. RESULTS: A total of 76 candidate genes were identified as differentially expressed between the groups, 26 being lower expressed in group II, and 50 in group I. Among them, differential expression validation was confirmed by RT-PCR for three lower expressed genes in group I: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Beta-2 Microglobulin (B2M) and Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I (COX I). CONCLUSION: Ovarian hormone deprivation influences the expression genes on lower urinary tract. We demonstrated that a 30-day period of castration down regulate the expression of VEGF, B2M and COX I in adult rats which are involved in activities of angiogenesis, immune responses and cellular metabolism respectively.