Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q)

Obstetrics

Also known as: POP-Q-Klassifikation (Deszensus-Stadien) · POP-Q evrelemesi (pelvik organ prolapsusu) · POP-Q staging of pelvic organ prolapse (stages 0–IV)

What it is for

The Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) system of the International Continence Society (ICS) measures six vaginal points (Aa, Ba, C, D, Ap, Bp) in centimetres relative to the hymen (0; above = negative, beyond = positive) at maximal straining, plus genital hiatus (gh), perineal body (pb) and total vaginal length (tvl), and assigns a stage from the most distal point.

Classification

CategoryDescription
Stage 0no prolapse: points Aa, Ap, Ba and Bp at −3 cm, and C or D no lower than −(tvl − 2) cm.
Stage Ithe most distal portion of the prolapse is more than 1 cm above the hymen (value below −1 cm).
Stage IIthe most distal portion lies within 1 cm above or below the hymen (−1 to +1 cm).
Stage IIIthe most distal portion is more than 1 cm beyond the hymen but less than (tvl − 2) cm, i.e. no complete eversion.
Stage IVcomplete or near-complete eversion: the most distal portion reaches (tvl − 2) cm or more.

Source

The standardization of terminology of female pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic floor dysfunction

ICS · Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;175:10–17 (Bump RC, Mattiasson A, Bø K, et al.)

DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9378(96)70243-0

PMID: 8694033

Edition
ICS POP-Q (Bump et al. 1996), the standard prolapse staging system
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