Biomechanical Properties and Associated Collagen Composition in Vaginal Tissue of Women with Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Abstract

The scanning haptic microscope produced reliable mechanical measurements in small tissue samples without tissue destruction. Vaginal wall tissues are stiffer in women with pelvic organ prolapse than in controls. This vaginal wall stiffness was associated with lower protein expression of collagen III in the vaginal wall compared to that in asymptomatic controls.