Physiotherapy for Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions After Onco-Gynecological Surgery: A Scoping Review

Pelvic floor dysfunctions are prevalent in women with gynecological cancers, leading to symptoms such as urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence and dyspareunia. Surgical management, especially in the treatment of gynecological cancer, often results in anatomical, sensory and endocrinological changes that affect sexual function.

A comprehensive search was conducted in four databases (Cochrane, Scopus, PEDro and PubMed) up to November 2023. The search focused on studies addressing rehabilitation treatments for pelvic floor dysfunctions following onco-gynecological surgery. Eligible studies included any physiotherapy intervention without restrictions on language, study design or publication type.

From 360 initial records, 8 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most of these were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which accounted for 5 out of 8 studies. The interventions discussed included transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS, n = 3), multimodal pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT, n = 2) and pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT, n = 3).

Given the small number of interventions and studies available, specific programs and randomized controlled clinical trials for women after onco-gynecological surgery are still limited. The results highlighted clear gaps in primary research. This review could be a starting point for future research.