Tactile Imaging Markers to Characterize Female Pelvic Floor Conditions

Heather van Raalte¹, Vladimir Egorov^2*

¹Princeton Urogynecology, Princeton, NJ, USA.
²Artann Laboratories, Trenton, NJ, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/ojog.2015.59073                

Abstract

The Vaginal Tactile Imager (VTI) records pressure patterns from vaginal walls under an applied tissue deformation and during pelvic floor muscle contractions. The objective of this study is to validate tactile imaging and muscle contraction parameters (markers) sensitive to the female pelvic floor conditions. Twenty-two women with normal and prolapse conditions were examined by a vaginal tactile imaging probe. We identified 9 parameters which were sensitive to prolapse conditions (p < 0.05 for one-way ANOVA and/or p < 0.05 for t-test with correlation factor r from -0.73 to -0.56). The list of parameters includes pressure, pressure gradient and dynamic pressure response during muscle contraction at identified locations. These parameters may be used for biomechanical characterization of female pelvic floor conditions to support an effective management of pelvic floor prolapse.

Keywords

Biomechanics, Soft Tissue, Tactile Imaging, Prolapse, Tissue Elasticity, Elastography

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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