Pessary: Care Instructions (2024)

FAQs

What should you not do with a pessary? ›

Follow your doctor's advice on inserting the pessary. Do not douche or use a vagin*l wash unless your doctor tells you to do so. Do not smoke.

If you are able to care for your pessary at home, we typically recommend that you take it out and clean it daily. You should use a mild soap with water, rinse and dry it completely, and reinsert it into the vagin* the next morning.

Hard-to-remove pessaries can be left in for a few months. You won't need to remove it until your next provider visit to have it cleaned. If you can remove your pessary yourself, you may choose to clean it nightly or weekly. Some people prefer to clean it before bed, sleep without it and reinsert it the next morning.

Lie on your back with your knees bent, or squat. Using the applicator gently put the pessary into the vagin* as far as it will comfortably go. If there is no applicator available, see point 11. Holding the outer part of the applicator push the plunger in to release the pessary from the applicator.

The most common complications of wearing a pessary are unpleasant odor, vagin*l discharge, bleeding, pain, and constipation. If POP patients are willing and able to remove, clean and replace the pessary themselves, complications can be effectively avoided.

Neglected vagin*l pessaries can cause major complications (hydronephrosis, fistula, fecal impaction, bowel incarceration and urosepsis). When a pessary is not removed for a very long period, it can become embedded in the vagin*l wall, making it difficult to remove [16].

A pessary will dissolve overnight in the moisture in the vagin*. If you have problems with vagin*l dryness you may notice some undissolved pieces of pessary the following morning. Clotrimazole can damage the latex in condoms and diaphragms so do not rely on these forms of contraception.

Generally, it does not affect your bowel movement. Initially you may experience pressure which settles in few days. It is better to ensure that you are not constipated by drinking plenty of fluids and taking a high fibre diet.

Yes, enough of the drug in the pessary is absorbed. To aid absorption try to lay down for 20 minutes after inserting pessaries vagin*lly. If used rectally then you should not open your bowels for an hour after inserting the pessary, if you do then another dose is required.

Previous studies have shown strong patients' preference for one or the other of two interventions. Lamers et al. found that the likelihood of choosing pessary over surgery increases with increasing age [10]. Furthermore, they reported that surgery is preferred over pessary as POP-Q stage increases [11].

What is the life expectancy of a pessary? ›

The estimated overall median survival of pessary according to pessary type was 260 weeks (corresponding to 60 months or 5 years; 95%CI 123;673) for ring pessary, 100 weeks (corresponding to 23 months or 2 years) for shell pessary and 83 weeks (corresponding to 19 months or 1,6 years) for cube pessary (Fig.

Mean length of time for pessary use was 4.5 years (1-15 years). Most of the women (n = 31, 55.4%) returned to the clinic for pessary care every 3 months.

Common side effects include vagin*l discharge and odor. Serious complications from pessaries are rare; however, vesicovagin*l fistula, rectovagin*l fistula, erosion, and subsequent impaction have all been reported.

If it does not feel comfortable, use your index finger to gently push it in a little farther. You can't hurt yourself or the pessary doing this. The rim of your pessary should sit just under the pubic bone at the front of your vagin*. It is okay to be able to feel it a little with your finger at the opening.

Some women choose to remove the pessary nightly before bed and replace it in the morning. It can be left in during intercourse if this is comfortable for you.

vagin*l pessaries

They can be used to ease the symptoms of moderate or severe prolapses and are a good option if you cannot or would prefer not to have surgery.

Once the pessary is in place you should not be able to feel it. If you feel any discomfort it may be that you need a different size of pessary. You may sometimes feel or see part of the pessary you will do yourself no harm by gently pushing it back into place.

Pessaries are a low risk treatment option when compared to surgery for symptomatic UI. However, pessaries require ongoing care to avoid problems with vagin*l infection, ulceration or bleeding. A neglected pessary can result in erosions through the vagin*l wall into the bladder or rectum.