Objectives-To identify pregnancy-induced changes in biomechanical properties of the vaginal wall and compare these with Fibulin-5 knockout mice (Fbln5 -/-) with and without prolapse.Study Design-Mid-vaginal segments of nonpregnant and late-pregnant wild type (WT), Fbln5 -/-with prolapse, and Fbln5 -/-mice without prolapse were studied. Tissue length at failure, maximal strain, maximal stress, and tissue stiffness were determined.Results-Compared with nonpregnant mice, vaginas of pregnant and Fbln5 -/-(with prolapse) mice exhibited decreased maximal stress, increased distensibility and strain, and decreased stiffness. Tissues from Fbln5 -/-mice without prolapse were similar to nonpregnant WT animals.Conclusions-Pregnancy confers remarkable changes in the vaginal wall including increased distensibility and decreased stiffness and maximal stress. Elastinopathy alone is insufficient to cause significant changes in these properties, but prolapse confers additional alterations in distensibility and stiffness similar to those observed in pregnancy. These changes may contribute to the poor durability of many restorative surgical procedures for prolapse.

The strength of the lasso tendon repair compared well with the Pulvertaft weave and was more convenient to perform. Side-by-side repair was inferior because of its low maximum load. This study suggests that lasso repair may be an alternative to the Pulvertaft weave in tendon grafts and transfers.

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