ABSTRACT
Pessaries and other intravaginal devices have long been used for the treatment of pelvic floor
dysfunction in women. Initial descriptions of vaginal device use entailed intravaginal place-
ment of objects to support genital prolapse and/or administer therapeutic chemicals. Specific applications of pessaries for women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) are rather recent.
Owing to the high coexistence of genital prolapse and urinary incontinence, it is likely that
many women who were fit with a pessary for genital prolapse noted an improvement in their
urinary incontinence. Alternatively, women with exteriorized prolapse may have occult
stress incontinence which is uncovered upon being fit with a vaginal pessary for reduction of
the prolapse.