Flat Magnetic Stimulation in the Conservative Management of Mild Pelvic Organ Prolapse: A Retrospective Observational Study.
Desirèe De Vicari, Marta Barba, Alice Cola, Nicola Amatucci, Sebastiano Carrara, Matteo Frigerio
Abstract
Open AccessBackground and Objectives: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a prevalent pelvic floor disorder affecting a large proportion of parous and aging women worldwide. While surgical intervention is generally reserved for advanced prolapse, conservative approaches remain essential for the management of early-stage disease. Flat magnetic stimulation (FMS), a novel non-invasive modality, has shown promising results in pelvic floor rehabilitation for urinary incontinence, but its role in prolapse treatment remains insufficiently investigated. This study aimed to evaluate anatomical and patient-reported outcomes in women with mild POP undergoing FMS therapy. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study included 87 women with stage ≤ 2 POP, classified according to the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) system. Participants underwent eight FMS sessions, each lasting 25 min, over four weeks using the Dr. Arnold device (DEKA, Calenzano, Italy). Pre- and post-treatment evaluations included standardized POP-Q measurements and the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using paired t-tests, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in the anterior vaginal compartment, with mean Aa values improving from -0.3 ± 1.2 to -0.7 ± 1.3 (mean difference -0.4 cm; 95% CI -0.8 to -0.03; p = 0.03; Cohen's d = 0.31) and mean Ba values from -0.3 ± 1.3 to -0.7 ± 1.3 (mean difference -0.4 cm; 95% CI -0.8 to -0.02; p = 0.04; Cohen's d = 0.30). No significant changes were found at other POP-Q landmarks. According to PGI-I results, 90.8% of participants reported symptom improvements, and 37.9% described their condition as "very much improved" or "much improved." No adverse events occurred, and treatment compliance was 100%. Conclusions: FMS seems to be a safe, well-tolerated, and potentially effective conservative therapy strategy for mild POP, offering both objective anatomical benefits and high subjective satisfaction. Further randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up are required to validate these findings and clarify the long-term role of FMS in the management of pelvic floor dysfunction.