Pelvic congestion syndrome: Not all pelvic pain is gynaecological

Joseph Hanna, Joshua Bruinsma, Mitchell Barns, Mark Hanna, Basim Boulos, Stefan Ponosh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Chronic pelvic pain is a debilitating but common syndrome that is a burden both for patients and health systems. Pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) contributes to 30-40% of patients presenting with chronic pelvic pain where no other cause is identified. However, PCS is poorly understood, underdiagnosed and undertreated, with the average time to diagnosis being reported as up to four years after initial presentation. OBJECTIVE: This article describes the pathophysiology of PCS and outlines the symptomatology, the most efficient diagnostic pathway and the optimal treatment methods for practitioners encountering patients presenting with PCS. DISCUSSION: The aetiology of PCS is multifactorial and it is thought to be caused by both hormonal and anatomical dysfunction. Patients with PCS present with a cluster of symptoms related to pelvic venous congestion, including pelvic pain worse on standing, irritable bowel symptoms, dyspareunia, vulval varicosities and lower limb venous pathology. Transvaginal ultrasound is a non-invasive and sensitive test for PCS. Ovarian vein embolisation is a safe, minimally invasive and efficacious treatment for PCS.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S41-S44
JournalAustralian Journal of General Practice
Volume53
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2024

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Pelvic congestion syndrome: Not all pelvic pain is gynaecological'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this