ABSTRACT
Introduction In the past, female pelvic floor disorders have been a somewhat neglected area of women’s healthcare and the prevalence of the problem has been underestimated. A recent North American prevalence study revealed that women have an 11% lifetime risk of having surgery for vaginal prolapse or stress incontinence, with 1 in 3 requiring more than one operation.1 In an Australian study MacLellan et al2 found that half the women surveyed aged 15-95 years had symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction defined as stress or urge incontinence, flatus or fecal incontinence, symptoms of vaginal prolapse, or a previous pelvic floor repair. With an aging population, the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders will increase, so there is a need for greater emphasis on these conditions in our undergraduate and postgraduate training programs and to develop more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies. Knowledge of endoscopy of the lower urinary tract is central to diagnosis and management of pelvic floor disorders.
