女性慢性盆腔痛的神经生物学研究进展

盆腔痛是女性常见妇科疾病之一，以慢性盆腔痛为主，对女性的姿势、平衡能力等都有着较大的影响，严重威胁着女性患者的生活质量和生命健康。但是目前关于女性慢性盆腔痛发生的生物学基础尚不清楚，病因也尚不明确，且对慢性盆腔痛的评估和治疗也比较复杂，给女性慢性盆腔痛的治疗和康复带来了较大的困难。为了给女性盆腔痛预防和治疗提供进一步的理论基础，拟对女性内生殖系统和外生殖系统的神经支配、中枢神经系统影像改变和疼痛易感性、细胞因子和外周神经纤维的相互作用、炎症因子在降低外周神经敏感性中的作用、钠离子通道介导神经元疼痛信号的传导、神经元的激酶信号传导通路激活进行综述，重点探讨信号通路和细胞因子等因素在疼痛发生中的作用。     

Chronic pelvic pain: how many surgeries are enough?

The key to treatment of chronic pelvic pain is to treat it as the complex disease it is. Evidence is reviewed showing that identifying one aspect of the disease such as endometriosis or adhesions then treating only that component is not likely to be successful. Given our understanding of the neuropathology of chronic pelvic pain this failure of traditional therapy is to be expected. This evidence is reviewed and supports that an integrated treatment approach holds the most promise for a successful outcome. The goal of chronic pelvic pain management is for the clinician to identify every pain generator and treat each one.     

Retained foetal bones: an intrauterine cause of chronic pelvic pain

Intrauterine retention of foetal bones is an uncommon but recognised complication of late termination of pregnancy. Secondary subfertility, abnormal uterine bleeding and vaginal discharge are the usual presenting complaints. We report a case of prolonged retention of foetal bones for 14 years in a woman who presented with chronic pelvic pain. Hysteroscopic examination was diagnostic and therapeutic. Retained foetal bones are an uncommon intrauterine cause of chronic pelvic pain that should be considered particularly when a woman with a history of late termination presents with pelvic pain. Hysteroscopic evacuation is curative.     

The Use of Botulinum Toxin in the Pelvic Floor for Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain–A New Answer to Old Problems?

Chronic pelvic pain occurs in about 15% of women and has a variety of causes requiring accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment if pain reduction is to be effected. Superficial conditions such as provoked vestibulodynia and deeper pelvic issues such as pelvic floor myalgia were traditionally difficult to diagnose and adequately treat. For provoked vestibulodynia, there are limited data, in the form of case reports and small series, to indicate that botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections may provide short-term (3–6 months) benefit. Retreatment is reported to be successful and side effects are few. Class-I studies are essential to adequately assess this form of treatment. For pelvic floor myalgia, 1 class-I study and 3 class-II to -III studies indicate efficacy of BoNT. In the only double-blind, randomized, controlled study, significant reduction in pelvic floor pressures with significant pain reduction for some types of pelvic pain are reported compared with baseline. No differences in pain occurred compared with the control group who had physical therapy as an intervention. Physical therapy should be used as a noninvasive first-line treatment, with BoNT injections reserved for those who are refractory to treatment. Pelvic floor disorders should be considered as a cause for chronic pelvic pain in women and an attempt made to diagnose and treat such problems as a routine practice. The use of BoNT as a therapeutic option for pelvic floor muscle spasm and pain is still in its infancy. Initial reports suggest that there may be a significant role for women with chronic pain that is refractory to currently available medical and surgical treatments, however, there are very few high-quality studies and research is essential before this novel treatment can be accepted into widespread use for pelvic pain attributable to the pelvic floor.     

Laparoscopic Uterine Anastomosis for Traumatic Separation of the Cervix From the Uterine Corpus Caused by Closed Pelvic Fracture: Case Report and Literature Review

Primary amenorrhea caused by separation of the cervix from the uterine body resulting from pelvic trauma is exceptionally rare. This case report describes the diagnosis and successful laparoscopic approximation of traumatic separation of the cervix from the uterine corpus. A 16-year-old girl who was involved in a car accident at age 2 years had primary amenorrhea and cyclic abdominal pain. A closed pelvic fracture was managed nonsurgically, with an uneventful recovery. Since age 13 years, the patient has been experiencing cyclic abdominal pain. Ultrasonography suggested a 5-cm left adnexal mass. Diagnostic laparoscopy revealed complete separation of the uterine corpus from the cervix, and an endometrioma in the left ovary. The uterine corpus was approximated to the cervix with circumferentially placed sutures under direct laparoscopic guidance. The endometrioma was resected concomitantly. Normal cyclic menstruation resumed 2 months postoperatively, without cyclic abdominal pain. This case report demonstrates successful laparoscopic approximation of traumatic separation of the uterine corpus from the cervix, manifested as primary amenorrhea.     

Evaluating chronic pelvic pain. A consensus recommendation. Pelvic Pain Expert Working Group

OBJECTIVE: To identify a comprehensive approach to evaluating women with chronic pelvic pain based on findings in the literature. STUDY DESIGN: A working group of gynecologist pelvic pain specialists was convened to consider principles on which consensus could be reached and to identify areas in which consensus is not yet possible. RESULTS: Chronic pelvic pain affects 15% of American women. The diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the complaint may be influenced inordinately by the specialty of the practitioner to whom the woman presents. A comprehensive approach to the complaint requires recognition of the multiple organ systems that may be involved. Evaluation of the woman with chronic pelvic pain begins with a comprehensive history and physical examination, followed by selected laboratory and imaging studies. For those women in whom the evaluation does not yield a likely cause of the complaint, the empiric use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents, oral contraceptives, and perhaps antibiotics or antispasmodics is indicated. Women who fail to respond to empiric therapy should be considered highly likely to have endometriosis or adenomyosis. Further diagnostic (laparoscopy) or therapeutic (gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist) interventions should be directed toward the high likelihood of endometriosis or adenomyosis. CONCLUSION: A comprehensive approach to chronic pelvic pain includes consideration of multiple organ systems, with empiric therapy appropriate after a thorough history and physical examination, to further delineate the pain problem.     

Relation between pain symptoms and the anatomic location of deep infiltrating endometriosis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether specific types of pelvic pain are correlated with the anatomic locations of deeply infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). DESIGN: Retrospective data analysis. SETTING: University tertiary referral center. PATIENT(S): Two hundred and twenty-five women with pelvic pain symptoms and DIE. INTERVENTION(S): During surgery, we recorded the anatomic locations of DIE implants and associated endometriosis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): We studied the incidence of pelvic pain symptoms including severe dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, noncyclic chronic pelvic pain, painful defecation during menstruation, urinary tract symptoms, and gastrointestinal symptoms as related to the location of DIE. RESULT(S): The frequency of severe dysmenorrhea increased with Douglas pouch adhesions and decreased with parity. The frequency of dyspareunia increased with a uterosacral ligament DIE location and decreased when it involved the bladder. The frequency of noncyclic chronic pelvic pain was higher when it involved the bowel and was lower for women who were treated for infertility. The frequency of painful defecation during menstruation was higher when DIE involved the vagina; lower urinary tract symptoms were more frequent when DIE involved the bladder and less frequent in women with a lower body mass index. Gastrointestinal symptoms were associated with bowel or vaginal DIE locations. CONCLUSION(S): The types of pelvic pain are related to the anatomic location of DIE. Knowledge of the characteristics of pelvic pain symptoms is important in the preoperative assessment of patients with suspected DIE.     

Conscious pain mapping by laparoscopy in women with chronic pelvic pain

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the findings and outcomes of laparoscopic conscious pain mapping in women with unsuccessfully treated chronic pelvic pain. METHODS: Fifty consecutive women with at least one prior procedure for chronic pelvic pain had conscious pain mapping. Operative findings and clinical outcomes were documented. Preoperative and postoperative pain levels were evaluated using visual analog scales. RESULTS: Conscious pain mapping was successful in 35 cases (70%). Twenty-nine patients had 42 specific positive sites, and six patients had diffuse visceroperitoneal pelvic tenderness. Adhesions and endometriosis accounted for 45% of positive lesions or sites. About half of women with endometriosis or adhesions mapped pain specifically to those lesions. For endometriosis, histologic but not visual diagnosis predicted positive mapping. Specific viscera accounted for 36% of positively mapped sites. Diagnoses of chronic visceral pain syndrome were suggested by the findings in 16 (46%) patients whose mapping was successful. Mean +/- standard deviation visual analog scale pain levels were 8.7 +/- 1.2 preoperatively and 5.5 +/- 3.7 postoperatively. Twenty-two women (44%) had decreased pain postoperatively and eight (16%) were pain-free. CONCLUSION: Conscious pain mapping can be done with reasonable success in women with prior surgical evaluations and treatments for chronic pelvic pain. Chronic visceral pain syndrome, adhesions, and endometriosis were the most common diagnoses.     

Medroxyprogesterone acetate in the treatment of pelvic pain due to venous congestion

Ovarian function was suppressed with 30 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate, daily for 6 months, in 22 women with lower abdominal pain due to pelvic congestion. There was reduction in pelvic congestion demonstrated by venography in 17 of the 22 women, and in 16 this was associated with induction of amenorrhoea which suggests that effective ovarian suppression is an important component of successful treatment. In the 17 women who showed a reduction in venogram score, the median change in pain score was 75% compared with only 29% in the five women with no change in venogram score (P less than 0.01). This significant association between reduction in pelvic congestion and pain indicates that pelvic congestion is likely to be the cause of pain in these women and that treatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate could be of value.     

Severe mesh complications following intravaginal slingplasty

OBJECTIVE: Synthetic meshes are increasingly used in the management of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. This report describes severe complications following anterior and/or posterior intravaginal slingplasties employing a multifilament polypropylene mesh. METHODS: We describe the symptoms, findings, subsequent management, and outcome of 19 consecutive women who have been referred with complications following anterior (n = 11) and/or posterior intravaginal slingplasty (n = 13) employing the multifilament polypropylene tape. RESULTS: The main indications for removal of the 11 anterior intravaginal slings were intractable mesh infection in 6 women, retropubic abscess with cutaneous sinus in one, and vesico-vaginal fistula in one, intravesical mesh and pain syndrome in one, and voiding difficulties and pain syndrome in two. The main indications for removal of the 13 posterior intravaginal slings were intractable mesh infection in three and pain syndrome and dyspareunia in 10 women. Removal of the slings was performed after a median time of 24 months post-slingplasty. At follow-up between 6 weeks and 6 months, in all women genital pain, chronic vaginal discharge and bleeding, voiding, and defecation difficulties had been markedly alleviated (5) or they had ceased (14). Twelve of 17 sexually active women (71%) resumed sexual intercourse without difficulties. Ten women required subsequent surgery for stress incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. CONCLUSION: Surgeons should be aware of the potential complications of synthetic meshes. Until data on the safety and efficacy of the intravaginal slingplasties are available, these procedures cannot be recommended.     

Surgical management of chronic pelvic pain

Chronic pelvic pain is a common debilitating condition affecting women and presents a major challenge to healthcare providers. Laparoscopy is the only test capable of diagnosing peritoneal endometriosis and adhesions. Gynaecologists have, therefore, seen it as an essential tool in the assessment of women with chronic pelvic pain. This article explores the role of surgery in the management of chronic pelvic pain. The approach to women with chronic pain must be therapeutic, supportive and sympathetic. Depending on the severity of disease found, ideal practice is to diagnose and remove the disease surgically at the same time during laparoscopy. A maximum surgical effort must be expended to resect all endometriosis, restore normal pelvic anatomy, resect nerve fibres and treat surgically accessible disease.     

Pelvic Floor Tenderness in the Etiology of Superficial Dyspareunia

ObjectiveTo calculate the prevalence of pelvic floor tenderness in the population of women with pelvic pain and to determine its implications for symptoms of pelvic pain.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review of patients with pelvic pain at a tertiary referral centre. Pelvic floor tenderness was defined as levator ani tenderness on at least one side during single digit pelvic examination. The prevalence of pelvic floor tenderness in this cohort of women with pelvic pain was compared with the prevalence in a cohort of women without pain attending a gynaecology clinic. In the women with pelvic pain, multiple regression was performed to determine which variables were independently associated with pelvic floor tenderness.ResultsThe prevalence of pelvic floor tenderness was 40% (75/189) in the cohort with pelvic pain, significantly greater than the prevalence of 13% (4/32) in the cohort without pain (OR 4.61; 95% CI 1.55 to 13.7, P = 0.005). On multiple logistic regression, superficial dyspareunia (OR 4.45; 95% CI 1.86 to 10.7, P = 0.001), abdominal wall pain (OR 4.04; 95% CI 1.44 to 11.3, P = 0.005), and bladder base tenderness (OR 4.65; 95% CI 1.87 to 11.6, P = 0.001) were independently associated with pelvic floor tenderness. Pelvic floor tenderness was similarly present in women with or without underlying endometriosis.ConclusionPelvic floor tenderness is common in women with pelvic pain, with or without endometriosis, and is a contributor to superficial dyspareunia. Pelvic floor tenderness was also associated with abdominal wall pain and bladder base tenderness, suggesting that nervous system sensitization is involved in the etiology of pelvic floor tenderness.     

Laparoscopic appendectomy in patients with endometriosis

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To report the frequency and spectrum of histologically proved diseases of the appendix in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for chronic pelvic pain in conjunction with endometriosis in a tertiary referral center. DESIGN: Patient database with retrospective chart review (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING: University ambulatory endoscopic surgery center-tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Two hundred thirty-one women. INTERVENTIONS: Appendectomy during laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We reviewed the medical records of 231 patients who underwent appendectomy during laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis performed from January 1994 through July 2004. Of the 231 patients with pelvic endometriosis, concomitant appendiceal pathology was present in 115. CONCLUSION: The appendix may be involved and may contribute to pelvic pain in patients with endometriosis.     

Chronic pelvic pain

Chronic pelvic pain is a common and significant disorder of women. It is estimated to have a prevalence of 3.8% in women. Often the etiology of chronic pelvic pain is not clear, as there are many disorders of the reproductive tract, gastrointestinal system, urological organs, musculoskeletal system, and psychoneurological system that may be associated with chronic pelvic pain. The history and physical examination are crucial in evaluating a woman with chronic pelvic pain and must address all of the possible systems potentially involved in chronic pelvic pain, not just the reproductive system. Laboratory and imaging studies should be selectively utilized, as should laparoscopy. Conscious laparoscopic pain mapping has been proposed as a way to improve information derived from laparoscopic evaluations. Treatment of chronic pelvic pain may consist of two approaches. One is to treat chronic pain itself as a diagnosis, and the other is to treat diseases or disorders that might be a cause of or a contributor to chronic pelvic pain. These two approaches are not mutually exclusive, and in many patients effective therapy is best achieved by using both approaches. Treatment of chronic pain as well as treatment of four of the more common disorders associated with chronic pelvic pain (endometriosis, adhesions, irritable bowel syndrome, and interstitial cystitis) are discussed in this review.     

Reliability and Validity of the Functional Pelvic Pain Scale: A New Measure of Pelvic Pain Severity

This study presents reliability and validity data from a small sample of pelvic pain clinic patients on a self-report rating scale, termed the Functional Pelvic Pain Scale (FPPS), designed to measure pelvic pain intensity as it relates to functions of daily living (bladder and bowel function, intercourse, walking, running, lifting, working, and sleeping).Study design: in a preliminary study, the FPPS was completed by 24 patients from a pelvic pain clinic, and 27 female medical students not having a complaint of pelvic pain. In a subsequent study of reliability and validity, 20 women attending the pelvic pain clinic completed the FPPS during their visit, and completed Daily Pain Records (DPRS) for every day of their next menstrual cycle, as well as a second FPPS at the end of their cycle.Results: preliminary results demonstrate that the FPPS shows discriminant validity between women without a complaint of pelvic pain and those with pelvic pan (p< 0.0001). Results in the second study demonstrate that the FPPS has satisfactory levels of test-retest reliability (r= 0.8048 p= 0.004) and construct validity. Functional pelvic pain scale scores showed statistically significant correlations with the highest monthly activity impairment (r= 0.5433 p= 0.007) and the average uterine pain intensity (r= 0.4436 p= 0.025).Conclusion: the FPPS is a sensitive and reliable measure of pelvic pain intensity through, time, demonstrating evidence of validity. The FPPS shows promise as a method for evaluation of pelvic pain severity. Its predictive value in research and clinical practice has yet to be determined.     

Musculoskeletal causes of chronic pelvic pain: a systematic review of existing therapies: part II

Chronic pelvic pain is a common clinical problem with many causes. In addition to gynecologic causes, it is important to evaluate other potential etiologies, including the pelvic musculoskeletal system. There have been few published studies on musculoskeletal causes of pelvic pain and its treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate treatment of pelvic musculoskeletal pain among women with chronic pelvic pain. We used a set of key words pertaining to pain and the pelvic musculoskeletal structures to initially review the PUBMED database. Additional articles were sought by discussion with a clinician specializing in this field and review of relevant textbook bibliographies. Study inclusion was restricted to English-language publications that reported a patient-related chronic pelvic pain outcome measure. Each report must have described at least four patients. For each selected article, two investigators separately summarized pertinent data on study characteristics, patient profiles, intervention characteristics, and treatment outcomes. Discrepancies were resolved by discussion. Twenty-nine treatment studies met entry criteria. The existing literature largely consists of retrospective, uncontrolled observational studies. The two studies that feature control groups lack sufficient size and scope to allow generalizability. Properly designed and executed randomized, controlled trials are urgently needed to determine the true effectiveness of treatments for pelvic musculoskeletal pain. TARGET AUDIENCE: Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After completion of this article, the reader should be able to summarize the current data on musculoskeletal causes of chronic pelvic pain, to outline the various techniques used to treat musculoskeletal causes of chronic pelvic pain, and to recall the lack of evidence based data on the subject and need for randomized controlled trials.     

Pelvic pain and infections

Infectious etiologies of both acute and chronic pelvic pain are common and may involve multiple organ systems. In the evaluation of the acute pain, it is important to remember that rapidity of diagnosis is important because of the possibility of significant morbidity and even death if a condition is not attended to rapidly. In recent years, laparoscopic evaluation of the pelvis has provided a better understanding of the pathophysiology of some of these infections, as well as possible therapeutic maneuvers. The evaluation of chronic pelvic pain requires a thorough attempt at careful diagnosis with minds open to the possibility that other organ systems besides the genital tract may be involved. Laparoscopy also may be an important diagnostic and therapeutic tool in the evaluation of the sequelae of pelvic inflammation leading to chronic pelvic pain. All therapeutic modalities that are instituted on the basis of the diagnostic evaluation must take into consideration that a strong emotional component is generally associated with chronic pelvic pain. Such components must be addressed in order to achieve the best possible results for the patient.     

La endometriosis profunda: un desafío diagnóstico y terapéutico

We report a case that illustrates the challenges of deep infiltrating endometriosis of the rectovaginal septum. The patient underwent a total hysterectomy in our department in May, 2011 due to symptomatic uterine leiomyomas, with no clinical or histopathologic findings of endometriosis. She continued to experience incapacitating pelvic pain, dyschezia and urinary symptoms until February 2012, when she developed ureteral obstruction, bilateral hydronephrosis and intestinal pseudo-obstruction that required radical resection of a fibrous pelvic mass, adhering to the rectum and compressing both ureters. The histological diagnosis was endometriosis. We emphasize the diagnostic difficulties of this entity and the aggressive treatment required.     

The value of laparoscopy in women with chronic pelvic pain and a "normal pelvis"

During the period January 1976--December 1982 laparoscopy was performed on 186 women complaining of pelvic pain of at least 6 months' duration. In all these cases, the routine pelvic examination and other medical and laboratory tests were negative. Laparoscopy revealed pelvic pathology in only 8.2%: in the vast majority (91.8%) entirely normal pelvic organs were seen. Evidence from the literature is compiling as to the psychogenic origin of most cases of chronic pelvic pain. Recently, it has been shown that laparoscopically negative pelvic pain can be relieved or abolished by psychological intervention. Since pathological findings on laparoscopy are of very low percentage and since the pain is psychogenic in most cases, the value of routine laparoscopy in chronic pelvic pain is very low. We propose that all women with chronic pelvic pain and normal pelvic examination should undergo psychological assessment and treatment if necessary. Laparoscopy should then be reserved for only those cases who show no amelioration on psychological intervention. Our estimation is that this approach would reduce the rate of laparoscopies performed for chronic pelvic pain by about 90%.     

Laparoscopic obturator nerve neurolysis after pelvic lymphadenectomy

Postoperative neuropathy is a known complication of major pelvic oncologic surgery. Obturator nerve injury complicating pelvic lymph node dissection has been reported in the literature. Severity and duration of symptoms are determined by the severity of the initial nerve lesion. Different management options have been described in the literature. We report here on a patient who developed right obturator neuropathy after pelvic lymphadenectomy. Initial management by physical therapy was unsuccessful, and the patient underwent a successful laparoscopic surgical neurolysis. Whereas preventive measures remain essential to avoid any nerve injury, this case illustrates the use of laparoscopy to perform neurolysis with a favorable outcome; therefore, persistent pain or motor loss should motivate at least surgical exploration that can be done with low morbidity by laparoscopy.