Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35633372›Full record

ArticleArchives of gynecology and obstetrics2022

Transvaginal pudendal nerve blocks in patients with pudendal neuralgia: 2-year follow-up results.

Gulfem Basol, Ahmet Kale, Hande Gurbuz, Elif Cansu Gundogdu, Kursad Nuri Baydilli, Taner Usta

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In one paragraph

Article in Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.9field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Pudendal Neuralgia: A Review of the Current Literature.Current pain and headache reports · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Gulfem BasolDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Health Science Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Ahmet KaleDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Health Science Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Hande GurbuzDepartment of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital Mimar Sinan Mh, Emniyet Cd., 16310, Bursa, Turkey. handegrbz@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-3562-9517
Elif Cansu GundogduDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Health Science Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Kursad Nuri BaydilliManagement and Organization Program, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey.
Taner UstaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Acibadem University, Altunizade Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Dr Lütfi Kırdar Kartal Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi · TRAcıbadem University · TRBursa Yuksek Ihtisas Egitim Ve Arastirma Hastanesi · TRSağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi · TR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposePudendal neuralgia (PN) is an extremely painful neuropathy of the pudendal nerve resulting in a negative impact on a patient's quality of life. The aim of this study is to evaluate the 2-year outcomes of repetitive doses of the transvaginal pudendal nerve injections (PNI), and to compare the success of the PNI concerning anatomical levels (endopelvic and extrapelvic portion) of the pudendal nerve pathology.

methodsThis retrospective longitudinal cohort study consists of patients with PN diagnosed with the first four essential Nantes criteria. Diagnostic PNI was performed on 67 patients to fulfill the fifth criteria of Nantes. A total of 56 patients who responded to the initial diagnostic PNI underwent therapeutic repeated transvaginal PNIs twice for 3 weeks apart. Mean pain intensity scores were measured using a visual analog scale at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 12th, and 24th months after the therapeutic blocks were completed. Effectiveness of the PNIs' was defined as ≥ 50% improvement of the initial pain, and relative improvement was defined as 30-50% improvement of the initial pain. Treatment failure was defined as the reduction of the initial pain by less than 30% or the return of the pain to its worst condition.

resultsThe efficacy of the PNIs significantly declined over time. Pudendal nerve blocks provided a significant decrease in pain scores; however, this decrease lost its strength significantly in the 24th month. The intervention was more effective in entrapments of the pudendal nerve between sacrospinous and sacrotuberous ligaments or below (Level-2) when compared to the injuries in the endopelvic part (Level-1). More than 50% pain reduction continued in five patients with pathology at Level-1 and 24 patients with pathology at Level-2.

conclusionRepeated PNIs could provide a significant decrease in pain scores for both short- and long-term periods. However, the efficacy of the PNIs declined over 2 years. The success of PNIs may be affected by the anatomical level of the nerve injury; therefore, interligamentous pudendal nerve entrapment cases have more benefits than the cases of pudendal nerve entrapment in the endopelvic part. However, it is recommended to perform therapeutic nerve blocks even in patients with suspected endopelvic pudendal nerve pathology before the referral to surgery.

Indexed as

Pudendal NervePudendal NeuralgiaFollow-Up StudiesHumansLongitudinal StudiesPelvic PainQuality of LifeRetrospective StudiesNerve blockPain managementPudendal nervePudendal neuralgia

Identifiers

PMID35633372
OpenAlexW4281751493

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.