Is the pelvic organ prolapse quantification system (POPQ) being used? A survey of members of the International Continence Society (ICS) and the American Urogynecologic Society (AUGS)

Abstract

The authors performed a web-based questionnaire survey of 667 members of the ICS and AUGS to determine the current use of the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POPQ) system by members of the professional societies which have advocated its use. Three hundred and eighty (57%) gynecologists responded. This international survey shows that only 40.2% of ICS and AUGS members who responded routinely use the POPQ system in their clinical practice and provides information on the most common reasons for not using it. The results highlight some of the concerns regarding the complex nature of the system and its acceptance and use by specialists worldwide. It also suggests the need for a simplified version of the classification system that is user-friendly and can be adopted by all practitioners.

INVESTIGATE-I (INVasive Evaluation before Surgical Treatment of Incontinence Gives Added Therapeutic Effect?): a mixed-methods study to assess the feasibility of a future randomised controlled trial of invasive urodynamic testing prior to surgery for stress urinary incontinence in women

“…95,99 Clearly the level of interest or excitement generated by the topic in potential respondents is of importance in encouraging responses. It is, however, difficult to explain why surveys on such similar topics should achieve such varying response rates in different countries (21% to 57%) 96,97 or why a survey on a clinical guideline 48 should achieve a different response rate from one on a major recommendation from the same guidance (i.e. this study) (64% vs. 34%).…”

“…A number of previous surveys of similar national and international professional groups have been published, with response rates between 21% and 67%. 48,[96][97][98] None of these studies employed incentives to take part, and indeed none used reminder letters or e-mails. 95,99 Clearly the level of interest or excitement generated by the topic in potential respondents is of importance in encouraging responses.…”

Tension-free vaginal tape versus tension-free vaginal tape obturator (inside-outside) in the surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence

“…Urodynamic evaluations were performed for 40% of patients (for 44 patients from the TVT group and 62 patients from in the TVT-O group) in the accordance with criteria established by the International Continence Society (ICS) (6). The degree of vaginal defects was evaluated using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) system (7).…”

Inter-observer reliability of digital vaginal examination using a four-grade scale in different patient positions

“…Although the pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) is the only standardised, reliable and universally accepted descriptive system [5,10], it is rarely adopted in the clinical practice since clinicians are not always familiar or confident with this quantification method. 'Lack of time in performing POP-Q', 'lack of training', 'complex system', and 'need of ruler' are the commonest reasons limiting the use of this examination system.…”