Vaginal cone for postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence: randomized, controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of vaginal cones and pelvic floor muscle training (PFTM) in postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence.

Methods: This randomized, controlled study included postmenopausal women, who complained of stress urinary incontinence. Forty-five women were allocated to three groups: a group given therapy with vaginal cones (n = 15), a group receiving therapy with PFTM (n = 15), and the control group (n = 15). Subjects in the intervention groups were treated for 6 weeks with twice-weekly sessions of 40 min. Women in the vaginal cone group carried out the pelvic floor muscle strengthening with vaginal cones. The control group did not receive any treatment during the corresponding time. They were evaluated before, at the end of treatment and 6 weeks after treatment completion for primary outcomes (1-h pad test for urinary loss and pelvic floor muscle pressure) and secondary outcomes (quality of life with King's Health Questionnaire, satisfaction with treatment, and continuity of training).

Results: For urinary leakage, there were statistical differences between the treated groups and the control group at the end of treatment and 6 weeks after treatment (all p < 0.01; effect size: vaginal cone group 20.97; PFMT group 20.96). The same behavior was shown for treatment with pelvic floor muscle pressure (all p < 0.01; effect size: vaginal cone group 22.58; PFMT group 21.68). There were no differences between the vaginal cone and PFMT groups in any of the evaluations. In outcomes for quality of life, significant differences were observed for incontinence impact and gravity domains when both treated groups were compared with the control group after treatment. Both groups reported similar satisfaction levels and the vaginal cone group demonstrated lower training continuity.

Conclusion: Based on this study, there were similar positive results for treatment with the vaginal cone and pelvic floor muscle training for urinary leakage, pelvic floor muscle pressure and quality of life for postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence after 6 weeks.