Ultrasound and MRI before and after radical hysterectomy: does the operation affect the pelvic floor muscles?

Purpose: To evaluate pelvic floor muscles and bladder neck mobility before and after radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound.

Methods: A prospective follow-up study of 22 patients studied with MRI and ultrasound preoperatively, three and 12 months after radical hysterectomy was carried out.

Results: Bladder neck mobility was decreased three months postoperatively, but one year after the operation, it had almost attained the preoperative level. The size of the pelvic floor muscles was reduced three months after the operation, but one year postoperatively, muscle size had almost returned to the preoperative level. Age and number of deliveries affected the starting point in muscle size and the mobility of the bladder neck, but the development was identical in all the women.

Conclusions: We showed that pelvic floor muscle size and mobility of the bladder neck were reduced three months after radical hysterectomy, and that they regenerated to a level only slightly below the preoperative level one year later.

Radical hysterectomy; Pelvic floor muscles; MRI; Ultrasound

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