An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for reporting outcomes of surgical procedures for pelvic organ prolapse

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis: Standardized terminology has yet to be developed for reporting the outcomes for surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Methods: This report combines the input of the Terminology and Standardization Committees of the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA) and the International Continence Society (ICS) and a joint Working Group on this topic, as well as expert external referees. The aim was to present a standardized terminology for the definitions of surgery and propose a structure for reporting the outcomes of surgical procedures for POP. An extensive drafting and review process was undertaken, as well as open review on both IUGA and ICS websites. Results: A terminology report was developed outlining the recommended structure for reporting outcomes of surgical trials involving POP. This document does not define success and failure. The report includes patient-reported, subjective and objective outcomes to enable researchers to report on their results and compare them with other studies. Conclusions: A consensus-based method for standardizing terminology for reporting outcome measures of POP surgery was developed to aid clinicians working in this area of research. © The International Urogynecological Association 2012.