What is your experience with patients using a vaginal prolapse pessary?

Not encouraging: Pessaries can be very effective in treating prolapse non surgically. Most patients, however, find the frequent removal, cleaning, and reinsertion to be too much of a chore. Additionally, the pessary itself can cause the patient to feel a vaginal fullness or pressure even if it is well fitted. The more active my patient is, the less likely a pessary seems acceptable to her.

Good: Pesseries for prolapse (cystocele, rectocele, vaginal prolapse) are very useful for someone who wants to avoid surgery, desires more vaginal deliveries (children), or can't have surgery. Properly sized & placed, pts feel no pressure, most don't notice a difference. The best candidates are pts who are able to remove & replace it as needed. I have many pts satisfied with only their pessary.