Practicalities and pitfalls of pessaries in older women

Abstract

Pelvic floor disorders are known to increase with age. With the number of elderly women more than doubling in the coming decades, gynecologists will need to be skilled in the assessment and treatment of these conditions. Conservative forms of therapy such as pessaries can often be successfully employed. These devices are well suited for elderly patients as they are noninvasive with minimal risk, provide immediate relief of symptoms, and are cost-effective compared with surgery. Although there are some downsides in using pessaries in clinical practice, many of these pitfalls can be appropriately addressed with education and training of clinician and patients.