[The suspensory system of the vagina--present views]

Gynek.-porod. klinika 1. LF UK a VFN, Praha.

OBJECTIVE: To describe vaginal support levels according to the DeLancey's classification, their appearance in transversal magnetic resonance images and clinical categories caused by their defects. DESIGN: Review. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague; Department of Radiodiagnostics, Charles University, Medical Faculty in Hradec Králové. METHODS: A review of literature, examinations of female pelvis with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 3 dimensional computer reconstructions were made. RESULTS: We performed 20 MRI studies and 5 computer spatial reconstructions of female pelvis. Selected results of a review of literature and our MRI examinations were correlated with various types of vaginal descensus. CONCLUSIONS: The questions about the supporting structures of female vagina are still not fully answered. Great advance was achieved by some recent pathological studies and by the introduction of modern magnetic resonance units in this field. The DeLancey's classification goes well in accord with clinical examination, imaging methods and cadaver studies.

PMID: 11272070 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]