A new approach to measure vaginal microcirculation

Vaginal prolapse surgery intends to correct pelvic floor dysfunction by
normalizing the anatomy of the vagina and its surrounding pelvic organs.
However, during surgery damage occurs to the vascularisation of the vagina.
Whether this damage is reversible or not has never been studied. Neither is
known what the effects of surgical damage to vaginal vascularisation are on
oxygenation of the vagina, and whether these effects depend on patient- and
surgery- related characteristics.
Improved understanding of the effects of vaginal prolapse surgery on vaginal
vascularisation and oxygenation may ultimately improve patient outcome by
modifying surgical techniques or approaching patients with predicted bad
outcome to alternative treatment options. Vaginal vascularisation
(microcirculation) can be evaluated using sidestream dark-field (SDF) imaging
and oxygenation of the vaginal wall can be measured using reflectance
spectrophotometry (O2C). We propose a pilot study to investigate the
feasibility of SDF imaging and spectrophotometry in the vagina.

To investigate the feasibility of SDF imaging and spectrophotometry of the
vaginal wall.

A pilot study

Measurements will be performed in an outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital
pre-operative and 2 weeks and 3 months post-operative. Each measurement will
take 15 minutes. Patients will be counseled before the measurements and
informed consent will be obtained. The imaging probe will be covered with a
sterile disposable cap. Both measurement techniques are painless and will cause
no harm.