The Secret about “Down There”:
Pelvic Floor and Bladder Edition
Harriette M. Scarpero, MD
Why is “Down There”a Secret?
• We don’t learn much about our bodies in school
• Not much attention paid to pelvic health in health related media:
Name one American female celebrity who
conquered urinary incontinence….
Now name one who has conquered obesity….
Are We Really in the Dark about the Pelvis?
• How many of you know the meaning of ED? (thank you Viagra)
• How many of you know the meaning of PFD ?
PFD = PELVIC FLOOR DISORDERS
What is the Pelvic Floor?
• It is composed of bony structures:
pubic bone- front
sacrum- back
ischial spines- sides
What is the Pelvic Floor?
• Muscles:
Puborectalis
Pubococcygeus
Iliococcygeus
(Levator Ani)
What is the Pelvic Floor?
• Connective Tissue:
• Attaches muscles to bone and each other
• Carries nerves and blood vessels
What is the Pelvic Floor?
• Pelvic Organs:
Uterus, ovaries, vagina
Bladder, pelvic ureters
Rectum
Anatomy: Bladder
• The bladder is a small triangular & muscular organ that is suspended between the abdominal wall and the abdominal cavity.
• The vagina sits beneath it, the rectum to its left, and the uterus on top of it.
• The kidneys drain into the bladder continuously via long muscular tubes (ureters).
Anatomy:The Urethra
• The urethra is a muscular tube and the channel out of which urine leaves the body.
• A circumferential muscle called the external sphincter sits at the middle of the urethra and helps prevent urine from spilling out.
Urethral Support
Connective tissue surrounds, divides and supports the urethra on its top, bottom and sides
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Source: Brubaker L: Pelvic Floor Anatomy in “The Female Pelvic Floor.
Function: Bladder has Two Jobs
• The job of the bladder is to provide a low pressure reservoir to store urine (storage).
• The bladder must also provide a sufficient muscular contraction to empty urine efficiently (emptying).
2 jobs = storage & emptying
Continence = Control
• What gives us control over our bladder is:
– The brain
– Properties of the urethra (ligament support, seal of its lining, outer vascular layer compression)
– Tone of the urethral sphincter muscle (anatomy)
Neuro Control of Bladder Function(overly simplified)
• The brain continuously inhibits the bladder
• The lower spinal cord acts as a hub for impulses travelling from the brain to the bladder.
• Bladder sensation begins in nerve endings in the bladder (stretch/pressure) and can trigger urination.
What We Take for Granted
• Humans cannot see their bladders.
• Humans do not feel their bladders until a critical volume.
• The bladder is only partially under our control.
• A complex nerve pathway is at work to keep us dry and allow us to urinate
Bad brain = bad bladder
Same for SCI or nerve damage
Who Can’t Take Her Bladder for Granted?Women with bladder fistula, spinal cord injury, occupations like fighter pilot,
and those with impaired mobility to name a few. Can you think of others?
PFD = Pelvic Floor Disorders
• Urinary incontinence
• Pelvic Organ Prolapse
• Fecal incontinence
• Sexual dysfunction
How big is PFD?
• number of US women with > 1 pelvic floor disorder will increase from 28.1 million in 2010 to 43.8 million in 2050
• number with UI will increase 55% from 18.3 million to 28.4 million
• number with POP will increase 46% from 3.3 to 4.9 million
• For fecal incontinence, the number will increase 59% from 10.6 to 16.8 million
Wu, Jennifer M. MD et al, Obstetrics & Gynecology Dec 2009
If You Are Experiencing PFD Symptoms…
• Educate your self on PFD
• If seeking a specialist, look for one with additional training in pelvic floor disorders and a practice focus in the specialty
• Ask lots of questions- don’t just ask the what, ask the why
Take Home Message
• Pelvic floor disorders are common and becoming more so
• They are Quality of Life issues and therefore are important, not the opposite
• Much more needs to be done to educate women about pelvic health
