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We sought to describe the relationship between patient symptoms and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and report the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of these POP symptoms. Two urologists and four urogynecologists developed a standardized pelvic floor questionnaire based on face validation for use at three female pelvic floor disorder clinics. Specific questions related to prolapse included questions on urinary splinting, digital assistance for defecation, and a bulge per vagina. Prolapse was assessed with the standardized Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantitative (POP-Q) terminology. The analysis included 1912 women. Urinary splinting was uncommon (< 10%) when Ba < 0, but ranged between 23 and 36% for stage III and IV Ba prolapse. Digital assistance was equally common in stage II Bp prolapse (21-38%) and stage III-IV Bp prolapse (26-29%). Only 6-11% of women with stage 0 or I POP reported symptoms of bulge, but with stage II it increased to 77%. Urinary splinting is 97% specific for anterior prolapse. The report of a bulge has an 81% positive predictive value and a 76% negative predictive value. Very few patients without anterior prolapse will report urinary splinting. Digital assistance for fecal evacuation is no more common with massive posterior prolapse than with moderate posterior prolapse. Patient report of a bulge is a valuable screening tool for POP and should prompt a careful exam.

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In repairs performed with free grafts there is a significantly higher proximal stricture rate when a tube rather than an onlay is used. Otherwise we noted no significant difference in the complication rates of flaps and grafts used to repair proximal hypospadias. A significant number of complications presented more than 1 year postoperatively and they may even present as late as 4 years. This finding suggests that longer followup may be necessary to assess completely the outcome of proximal hypospadias surgery.

Much of the apparent increase in second primary malignancies associated with prostate cancer noted by some authors may be attributed to bias in the staging process. Renal cancers may occur more frequently in patients with prostate cancer but the distribution of these lesions is inconsistent with a field defect mechanism of cancer induction.

Longer followup after external beam radiation therapy continues to demonstrate a decrease in cause specific survival. Many patients ultimately require hormonal therapy.