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Smooth muscle fraction of the round ligament in women with pelvic organ prolapse: a computer-based morphometric analysis

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Abstract

Our objective was to compare the collagen and muscle content of the round ligament of uteri in women with pelvic organ prolapse. We evaluated the tissue samples obtained from the round ligaments of 22 patients with uterine prolapse who underwent vaginal hysterectomy (group A, study) and from 26 patients with no pelvic relaxation in whom total abdominal hysterectomy was performed for benign reasons (group B, controls). Morphometric analysis was performed on histologic cross-sections of the round ligament. Sections from each sample were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson’s trichrome methods. A computer system was used for morphometric measurements. We used independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test to investigate the difference between the two groups. It was found that the smooth muscle fraction of the round ligament in women with uterine prolapse was significantly decreased compared with that of healthy control subjects and concluded that decreased smooth muscle content may be an important pathogenetic factor in uterine prolapse.

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Acknowledgement

Special thanks go to Yavuz Sanislioglu for his excellent contribution to the statistical analysis, Levent Seckin, MD and Akın Sivaslioglu, MD for their valuable efforts in tissue acquisition and to the Pathology Department of Gulhane Military Medical Academy and Medical Faculty for their hard work and precious efforts. We are also grateful to Omer Sarlak, MD for his support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urogynecology, SSK Ankara Maternity and Women’s Health Teaching Hospital, Ahmet Hamdi sokak 13/16, 06170, Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey

    Ozlem Ozdegirmenci, Suat Dede, Sinan Karadeniz & Ali Haberal

  2. Department of Pathology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy and Medical Faculty, 06110, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey

    Yildirim Karslioglu, Omer Gunhan & Bulent Celasun

Authors
  1. Ozlem Ozdegirmenci
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  2. Yildirim Karslioglu
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  3. Suat Dede
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  4. Sinan Karadeniz
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  5. Ali Haberal
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  6. Omer Gunhan
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  7. Bulent Celasun
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ozlem Ozdegirmenci.

Additional information

Editorial Comment: This paper adds to a body of information showing that smooth muscle content of pelvic floor supporting tissues is reduced in women with pelvic organ prolapse. The morphometric computer analysis seems to be a good technique for determining the percentage of tissue that is comprised of smooth muscle and the percentage of tissue that is comprised of connective tissue. This paper is an extension of work published by Boreham et al., who also assessed smooth muscle in women with pelvic organ prolapse. Additional work remains to be done to determine if loss of smooth muscle volume is a cause or effect of prolapse. It is also clear that smooth muscle content is a reflection of age and menopausal status

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Ozdegirmenci, O., Karslioglu, Y., Dede, S. et al. Smooth muscle fraction of the round ligament in women with pelvic organ prolapse: a computer-based morphometric analysis. Int Urogynecol J 16, 39–43 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-004-1215-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-004-1215-z

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