First case-series of robot-assisted pudendal nerve release: technique and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Pudendal Nerve Entrapment (PNE) may determine chronic pelvic pain associated with symptoms related to its innervation area. This study aimed to present the technique and report the outcomes of the first series of robot-assisted pudendal nerve release (RPNR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 32 patients, who were treated with RPNR in our centre between January 2016 and July 2021, were recruited. Following the medial umbilical ligament identification, the space between this ligament and the ipsilateral external iliac pedicle is progressively dissected to identify the obturator nerve. The dissection medial to this nerve identifies the obturator vein and the arcus tendinous of the levator ani, which is cranially inserted into the ischial spine. Following the cold incision of the coccygeous muscle at the level of the spine, the sacrospinous ligament is identified and incised. The pudendal trunk (vessels and nerve) is visualized, freed from the ischial spine and medially transposed. RESULTS: The Median duration of symptoms was 7 (5, 5-9) years. The median operative time was 74 (65-83) minutes. The median length of stay was 1 (1-2) days. There was only a minor complication. At 3 and 6 months after surgery, a statistically significant pain reduction has been encountered. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficient reported a negative relationship between the duration of pain and the improvement in NPRS score, - 0.81 (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: RPNR is a safe and effective approach for the pain resolution caused by PNE. Timely nerve decompression is suggested to enhance outcomes.

When and How to Utilize Pudendal Nerve Blocks for Treatment of Pudendal Neuralgia.

Chronic pelvic pain is a common cause of pain in reproductive age women with debilitating consequences for affected women's health and quality of life. Treatment providers must be well versed in all treatment options for these patients, understanding the overlap in the management and treatment of chronic pelvic pain caused by pudendal neuralgia, myofascial pelvic pain, and vulvodynia. Pudendal blocks are a simple and quick procedure that can be performed in the office and often helps improve all the above conditions when used along with other treatment options. We review the anatomy and methodology on when and how to perform pudendal blocks in the office to better inform the general gynecologist on how to implement offering this treatment in the outpatient clinical setting.

Right laparoscopic pudendal release + neurostimulator prosthesis (LION procedure) in pudendal neuralgia.

AIM: Pudendal neuralgia is a highly disabling entity with complex diagnostic and controversial treatment results. Surgical neurolysis has been shown to be the most effective treatment. Sacral root neurostimulation or posterior tibial nerve stimulation are used to rescue patients who either have not responded to surgery or have worsened after an initial improvement. METHODS: Given the excellent visualization of the pudendal nerve during laparoscopic pudendal release, we propose to combine this procedure with neurostimulation, taking advantage of the possibility of in situ placement of the electrode. The abdominal cavity is accessed laparoscopically through four ports, and after identifying and releasing the pudendal nerve a neurostimulation electrode is placed next to the nerve and is connected to a generator located in a subcutaneous pocket. RESULTS: This procedure has been performed in one patient with a satisfactory result. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic pudendal release with neurostimulator prosthesis is an experimental technique that can be promising for the treatment of pudendal neuralgia.

Surgical management of pudendal nerve entrapment after sacrospinous ligament fixation.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the efficacy of sacrospinous ligament (SSL) suture removal on the reduction of pain symptoms in the case of suspected pudendal nerve entrapment after sacrospinous ligament fixation (SSLF). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary referral centre, the Netherlands. POPULATION: A cohort of 21 women having their SSLF sutures removed because of SSLF-related pain symptoms. METHODS: Clinical record review. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was reduction of pain after SSL suture removal. Secondary outcome measures were time interval between suture placement and suture removal, complete suture removal, adverse events and recurrence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). RESULTS: A total of 21 women underwent SSL suture removal for severe and/or persistent pain, which was confirmed on clinical examination: 95% of the women (20/21) reported pain reduction after suture removal, and 57% reported complete pain relief. The time interval between suture placement and suture removal was at a median of 414 days (range 8-1855 days). Sutures could be completely removed in 86% of cases (18/21). One woman had excessive blood loss (520 ml) without blood transfusion. At 6-8 weeks after surgery, 10% of the women (2/21) had renewed symptomatic POP, stage ≥ 2, for which additional POP surgery was indicated. CONCLUSIONS: When performed by an experienced clinician, SSL suture removal is feasible and efficacious, with low morbidity. In addition, the risk of recurrent POP in the short term appeared to be low. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: The surgical removal of sacrospinous ligament sutures is safe and efficacious for pain relief, even remote from initial placement.

Post-traumatic double crush pudendal nerve entrapment syndrome after fracture of the pelvis: A case report.

Pudendal syndrome is primarily characterized by stress urinary incontinence, dysuria, sexual arousal syndrome, painful erections, and anal incontinence. The syndrome occurs when the pudendal nerve or one of its branches is compressed, stretched, or injured. Double crush is the compression of a peripheral nerve at two or more separate areas with various signs and symptoms. We, herein, aimed to introduce the case of a 42-year-old male who underwent the distal release procedure due to the diagnosis of "double crush pudendal syndrome" following a proximal release surgery previously performed elsewhere. The patient's history revealed a pelvic fracture with urethral injury 27 years ago. Throughout the years, the patient had been evaluated by various medical disciplines and undergone several treatments. In 2017, an orthopedic surgeon performed proximal pudendal nerve release using transgluteal approach, and then rectal pain and defecation complaints relieved. However, in 2019, the patient was referred to our clinic because of the persistence of erection and perineal complaints after the proximal pudendal nerve release. Based on a detailed clinical and laboratory assessment, the diagnosis of double crush neuropathy was established, and distal release of the pudendal nerve using transperineal approach was performed. To determine the efficiency of the surgical treatment, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and Quality of Erection Questionnaire (QAQ) tests were used preoperatively and at the first postoperative year. Furthermore, to assess the perineal pain, erection pain, and pain during intercourse Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used. The erectile dysfunction improved from the severe degree (9 points) to the mild degree (22 points) postoperatively. The patient's general and sexual satisfaction scores, and erection quality score improved compared to the preoperative baseline. According to VAS, the perineal pain, erectile pain,and pain during intercourse decreased postoperatively. (from 7 to 2 out of 10, from 8 to 3 out of 10, from 7 to 2 out of 10, respectively). When perineal and sexual complaints are encountered following pelvic trauma, the pudendal nerve-related problems, especially double crush syndrome, should be kept in mind in differential diagnosis. A multidisciplinary approach must be established in order to avoid any delay in diagnosis and treatment. Surgical intervention may provide a significant improvement in clinical and functional status.

Laparoscopic approach to refractory extraspinal sciatica and pudendal pain caused by intrapelvic nerve entrapment.

Entrapments of the intrapelvic portions of the lumbosacral plexus are an important extraspinal cause of sciatica and pudendal neuralgia. They can be treated using Laparoscopic Neuronavigation (LANN), a minimally invasive technique that has set the foundations of an emerging field in Medicine-Neuropelveology. This retrospective-prospective study analyzes the outcomes of 63 patients treated with the LANN technique over a 10 year time period. One year after surgery, 78.3% of patients reported clinically relevant pain reduction, defined as ≥ 50% reduction in Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) score; these results were maintained for a mean follow up of 3.2 years. Preoperative chronic opioid use (≥ 4 months of ≥ 10 mg morphine equivalents/day) was a predictor of poor surgical outcome-clinically relevant pain reduction was observed in only 30.8% in this group of patients, compared to 91.5% in patients not regularly taking opioids preoperatively (p < 0.01). Perioperative complication rate was 20%. Our results indicate that the LANN technique is an effective and reproducible approach to relieve pain secondary to intrapelvic nerve entrapments and that preoperative chronic opioid therapy significantly reduces the likelihood of a successful surgical outcome. This study provides detailed information on perioperative complication and postoperative course, which is essential for patient consenting.

A Novel Approach to Managing Post Retropubic Vaginal Sling Pain.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a novel technique of using peripheral nerve neuromodulation (PNNM) for the treatment of refractory, mesh-induced chronic pelvic pain. Chronic pelvic pain associated with mesh can be a debilitating complication and there is currently no consensus on treatment. PNNM has been shown to be successful in the treatment of post-traumatic neuralgias but has yet to be studied in mesh complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We present a case of a 50-year-old woman who had unrelenting pelvic pain after retropubic sling placement. She failed multiple therapies including medications, mesh removal, pelvic floor physical therapy, pudendal neuromodulation, and pelvic floor onabotulinumtoxinA trigger point injections. RESULTS: The only treatment that provided temporary relief of this patient's pain was transvaginal trigger point injections along with a right pudendal nerve block using 40 mg triamcinolone and 0.5% ropivacaine. To help define if treatment at the site of her pain would provide relief, a series of blocks were done by advancing a needle retropubically to her area of pain and injecting triamcinolone and 0.5% ropivacaine. This injection, which corresponded to the previous tract of her retropubic sling, provided temporary, but profound, relief. PNNM was then done with placement of the electrode in the retropubic space at the site of her pain. This provided instantaneous relief of almost all of her pain symptoms. Twelve months postoperatively, the patient continued to have >90% improvement in her pain. CONCLUSION: Focused PNNM is a simple procedure and can provide symptomatic relief for refractory postvaginal mesh pain.

[Mechanisms of formation and diagnosis of tunnel pudendal neuropathy]. / Mekhanizmy formirovaniia i diagnostika tunnel'nykh pudendoneiropatii.

The article contains information on the most common causes of lesions of the pudendal nerve - tunneling neuropathy. The author considers a set of the Nantes diagnostic criteria for pudendal neuralgia and presents a brief differential diagnosis of pelvic neuropathies. A case of Tinel's pudandal symptom with interligamentous compressions is described. The causes of the low diagnosability of pudendal neuropathy are analysed.

Persistent Abdominal Pain 2 Years After Cesarean Delivery.

A 29-year-old multiparous patient is referred for chronic lower abdominal pain radiating into her groin since undergoing cesarean delivery 2-years previously. Laboratory and radiographic evaluation results are negative. She asks you, "Please tell me, why am I having this pain?"

Vascular Entrapment of Both the Sciatic and Pudendal Nerves Causing Persistent Sciatica and Pudendal Neuralgia.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the laparoscopic approach to malformed branches of the vessels entrapping the nerves of the sacral plexus. DESIGN: A step-by-step explanation of the surgery using video (educative video) (Canadian Task force classification II). The university's Ethics Committee ruled that approval was not required for this video. SETTING: Kocaeli Derince Education and Research Hospital, Kocaeli, Turkey. PATIENT: A 26-year-old patient who had failed medical therapy and presented with complaints of numbness and burning pain on the right side of her vagina and pain radiating to her lower limbs for a period of approximately 36 months. INTERVENTION: The peritoneum was incised along the external iliac vessels, and these vessels were separated from the iliopsoas muscle on the right side of the pelvis. The laparoscopic decompression of intrapelvic vascular entrapment was performed at 3 sites: the lumbosacral trunk, sciatic nerve, and pudendal nerve. The aberrant dilated veins were gently dissected from nerves, and then coagulated and cut with the LigaSure sealing device (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minn). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The operation was completed successfully with no complications, and the patient was discharged from the hospital 24 hours after the operation. At a 6-month follow-up, she reported complete resolution of dyspareunia and sciatica (visual analog scale score 1 of 10). CONCLUSION: A less well-known cause of chronic pelvic pain is compression of the sacral plexus by dilated or malformed branches of the internal iliac vessels. Laparoscopic management of vascular entrapment of the sacral plexus has been described by Possover et al [1,2] and Lemos et al [3]. This procedure appears to be feasible and effective, but requires significant experience and familiarity with laparoscopy techniques and pelvic nerve anatomy.

Correlation between Anatomical Segments of the Pudendal Nerve and Clinical Findings of the Patient with Pudendal Neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to describe clinical findings and outcomes of patients with pudendal neuralgia in relation with the anatomical segment affected. METHODS: Fifty-one consecutive patients with chronic perineal pain (CPP) located in the areas supplied by the pudendal nerve (PN), from January 2011 to June 2012, were analyzed. RESULTS: The distribution of pain at perineal, dorsal clitoris and inferior anal nerves was 92.2, 31.4 and 25.5% respectively. The duration of pain was longer when the dorsal clitoris nerve (DCN) was affected (p < 0,003). The pain in the pudendal canal was frequently associated with the radiation of pain to the inferior members (p < 0.043). CONCLUSION: CPP and radiation of pain to lower limbs suggest a disorder at the second segment of PN. A positive Tinel sign in the third segment indicates a nerve entrapment. In terminal branches, pain was more frequent at the perineal nerve and more persistent at the DCN.

Postoperative pain and neuropathy after caesarean operation featuring blunt or sharp opening of the fascia: a randomised, parallel group, double-blind study.

The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative pain and neuropathy after primary caesarean sections with either blunt or sharp fascial expansions. A total of 123 women undergoing primary caesarean sections were included in the study. The sharp group had 61 patients, and the blunt group had 62. In the sharp group, the fascia was incised sharply and extended using scissors. In blunt group, the fascia was bluntly opened by lateral finger-pulling. The primary outcome was postoperative pain. The long-term chronic pain scores were significantly lower in the blunt group during mobilisation (p = .012 and p = .022). Neuropathy was significantly more prevalent in the sharp group at both 1 and 3 months postoperatively (p = .043 and p = .016, respectively). The odds ratio (OR) and 95%CI for postoperative neuropathy at 1 and 3 months were as follows; OR 3.71, 95%CI 0.97-14.24 and OR 5.67, 95%CI 1.18-27.08, respectively. The OR for postoperative pain after 3 months was 3.26 (95%CI 1.09-9.73). The prevelance of postsurgical neuropathy and chronic pain at 3 months were significantly lower in the blunt group. Blunt fascial opening reduces the complication rate of postoperative pain and neuropathy after caesarean sections. Impact statement What is already known on this subject? The anatomic relationship of the abdominal fascia and the anterior abdominal wall nerves is a known fact. The fascia during caesarean sections can be opened by either a sharp or blunt extension. Data on the isolated impact of different fascial incisions on postoperative pain is limited. What do the results of this study add? The postoperative pain scores on the incision area are lower in the bluntly opened group compared to the sharp fascial incision group. By extending the fascia bluntly, a decrease in trauma and damage to nerves was observed. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or future research? The lateral extension of the fascia during caesarean sections must be done cautiously to prevent temporary damage to nerves and vessels. The blunt opening of the fascia by lateral finger pulling might be a preferred method over the sharp approach that uses scissors. We included only primary caesarean cases, however, comparisons of blunt and sharp fascial incisions in patients with more than one abdominal surgery should be explored in future studies.

[Magnetic resonance neurography for the identification of pudendal neuralgia]. / Neurografía por resonancia magnética para la identificación de la neuralgia del nervio pudendo.

The pudendal nerve entrapment is an entity understudied by diagnosis imaging. Various causes are recognized in relation to difficult labors, rectal, perineal, urological and gynecological surgery, pelvic trauma fracture, bones tumors and compression by tumors or pelvic pseudotumors. Pudendal neuropathy should be clinically suspected, and confirmed by different methods such as electrofisiological testing: evoked potentials, terminal motor latency test and electromyogram, neuronal block and magnetic resonance imaging. The radiologist should be acquainted with the complex anatomy of the pelvic floor, particularly on the path of pudendal nerve studied by magnetic resonance imaging. High resolution magnetic resonance neurography should be used as a complementary diagnostic study along with clinical and electrophysiological examinations in patients with suspected pudendal nerve neuralgia.

Neurografía por resonancia magnética para la identificación de la neuralgia del nervio pudendo / Magnetic resonance neurography for the identification of pudendal neuralgia

La neuralgia del nervio pudendo (NP) es una entidad poco estudiada por imágenes. Se reconocen varias causas, tales como compresión a través de su paso por estructuras ligamentarias; estiramiento por partos laboriosos; lesiones secundarias a cirugías rectales, perineales, urológicas y ginecológicas, traumatismos con o sin fractura de huesos pelvianos; procesos inflamatorios/autoinmunes; tumores del NP, y, compresión/desplazamiento por tumores o seudotumores de pelvis. El diagnóstico de neuralgia del NP se sospecha por la clínica y se confirma por diferentes métodos, tales como las pruebas electrofisiolológicas: potenciales evocados, test de latencia motora terminal y electromiograma, y, a través de bloqueos neurales y resonancia magnética. La neurografía por resonancia magnética de alta resolución, debería ser empleada como estudio diagnóstico complementario junto a la clínica y exámenes electrofisiológicos, en los pacientes con sospecha de neuralgia del NP.

The pudendal nerve entrapment is an entity understudied by diagnosis imaging. Various causes are recognized in relation to difficult labors, rectal, perineal, urological and gynecological surgery, pelvic trauma fracture, bones tumors and compression by tumors or pelvic pseudotumors. Pudendal neuropathy should be clinically suspected, and confirmed by different methods such as electrofisiological testing: evoked potentials, terminal motor latency test and electromyogram, neuronal block and magnetic resonance imaging. The radiologist should be acquainted with the complex anatomy of the pelvic floor, particularly on the path of pudendal nerve studied by magnetic resonance imaging. High resolution magnetic resonance neurography should be used as a complementary diagnostic study along with clinical and electrophysiological examinations in patients with suspected pudendal nerve neuralgia.

Altered defaecatory behaviour and faecal incontinence in a video-tracked animal model of pudendal neuropathy.

AIM: The aim was to develop a behavioural animal model of faecal continence and assess the effect of retro-uterine balloon inflation (RBI) injury. RBI in the rat causes pudendal neuropathy, a risk factor for obstetric related faecal incontinence in humans. METHOD: Video-tracking of healthy rats (n = 12) in a cage containing a latrine box was used to monitor their defaecatory behaviour index (DBI) over 2 weeks. The DBI (range 0-1) was devised by dividing the defaecation rate (pellets per hour) outside the latrine by that of the whole cage. A score of 0 indicates all pellets were deposited in the latrine. Subsequently, the effects of RBI (n = 19), sham surgery (n = 4) and colostomy (n = 2) were determined by monitoring the DBI for 2 weeks preoperatively and 3 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: The DBI for healthy rats was 0.1 ± 0.03 with no significant change over 2 weeks (P = 0.71). In the RBI group, 13 of 19 rats (68%) showed no significant change in DBI postoperatively (0.08 ±  -0.05 vs 0.11 ±  -0.07) while in six rats the DBI increased from 0.16 ±  -0.09 to 0.46 ± 0.23. The negative control, sham surgery, did not significantly affect the DBI (0.09 ± 0.06 vs 0.08 ± 0.04, P = 0.14). The positive control, colostomy, increased the DBI from 0.26 ± 0.03 to 0.86 ± 0.08. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study showing a quantifiable change in defaecatory behaviour following injury in an animal model. This model of pudendal neuropathy affects continence in 32% of rats and provides a basis for research on interventions for incontinence.