Pessary Information Leaflet

Your doctor has suggested a pessary as a treatment option to support your prolapse.

A pessary is a silicone device that fits inside the vagina to help support the pelvic organs and the uterus. This treatment is often chosen by women who wish to avoid surgery to repair their prolapse or wish to have more children in the future. It may be advised for women who are not medically fit for surgery due to other medical conditions.

There are different sizes and shapes of pessary available and your doctor may need to try different sizes in order to find the one that fits you best.

Pessaries should be changed or removed, cleaned, and replaced regularly to check the vaginal tissue, usually every 4-6 months. They may be changed by the doctor or nurse at the hospital clinic or by your own GP or practice nurse once the correct size and shape of pessary has been inserted.

Oestrogen cream is sometimes used when changing the pessary or if there are sore or delicate areas noted inside the vagina. If raw areas have developed where the pessary has rubbed the tissue your doctor may suggest leaving the pessary out for a short time and using vaginal Oestrogen creams or tablets to help the area to heal.

It is possible to have sex with certain types of pessary (ring shape) in place although you and your partner may be occasionally aware of it. Some women like to be taught to remove the pessary themselves prior to intercourse.

After a pessary is inserted, please contact the urogynaecology secretaries if you have any of the following problems or concerns:

• Unexpected bleeding
• Unpleasant discharge
• Difficulty passing urine
• Discomfort requiring removal
• If the pessary falls out and you would like it to be replaced
  

If you are happy to continue with pessary management for your prolapse, an appointment will be made in one of our nurse led pessary clinics for review. We aim to arrange this within the next 2 weeks.

If you do not wish to continue using a pessary to manage your prolapse, please inform the secretaries and they will make an appointment in clinic with a doctor to discuss your options. This appointment is likely to be in the next 6-8 weeks.

The secretaries are available between 9.00am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) on the following numbers: 01274 382633/01274 364889/01274 382691.