Pelviperineology: about

The Rivista Italiana di Colon-Proctologia was founded in 1982 and for 20 years it has been the journal of the various Italian societies of coloproctology. In 1990 the multidisciplinary future of the journal was first expressed  in an editorial introducing the proceedings of an international meeting on perineology  which was held in Venice, Italy.

The word perineology represents a neologism. Many specialties have split into subspecialties. From surgery and from gastroenterology derived proctology. The latter needs now an evolution, mainly for its functional aspects. The proctologist cannot restrict his competence to the posterior perineum, as the urologist and the gynaecologist, when evaluating the pelvic floor and its diseases, must take into account the posterior compartment. A unitary view of the pelvic organs function then creates a sort of superspecialty that must open new spaces to the research ensuring to the patients more rational solutions. Perineology is then a medical branch of which we probably will hear talking more and more in the future. (G. Dodi, Rivista Italiana di Colon-Proctologia 1990; 9: 113)

In 2004, in its 23rd year of life, the prophecy was fulfilled, and the title of the journal was modified with the addition of “Pelvi-Perineologia”. The cover featured the classic body of the Aphrodite of Milos with her allusive half covered pelvis. The contents changed as well and Pelvi-Perineologia became the official publication of the Italian Interdisciplinary Society of the Pelvic Floor.

It became soon evident that it was easy to talk about a multidisciplinary, holistic or interdisciplinary approach, as it was relatively easy to put together articles from different disciplines, and it’s easy even to organize meetings involving urologists, gynaecologists and colorectal surgeons. However, when each of them talks and presents his work, it is very difficult for his colleagues in another discipline to understand him, and it’s unusual that they actually listen to what the specialist from “next door” has to say. The different disciplines often have no common understanding of the anatomy, physiology or treatments that are promoting.

Considering this disappointing experience, it has been thought that the journal’s mission should not only be to inform through original articles, reviews and cases reports, but also to provide a broader understanding by bringing together the knowledge and experience that is available in the international literature. The result was the Pelvic Floor Digest, a collection of thousands of titles of articles with their own abstracts organized in a rational manner. Every month this collection grows to cover most of what has been written in the world about all aspects of the pelvic floor. The Digest was first placed on the web in 2002, and since then has been closely connected with the journal.

Here ends the story of the Rivista Italiana di Colon-Proctologia and of Pelvi-Perineologia and starts “Pelviperineology”, one word only, to emphasize the strong will of the Editorial Board to consider all the compartments of the pelvis and of the perineum, with the body around and the mind above, as a single unit. Pelviperineology is the official Journal of Australian Association of Vaginal and Incontinence Surgeons (www.aavis.org) and International Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Society.

The Australian Association of Vaginal & Incontinence Surgeons (AAVIS) was formed by delegates to a pelvic floor workshop organised by Peter Petros in Perth in 1995. AAVIS was originally designed as a support group for Australian and New Zealand surgeons initially for the Intravaginal Slingplasty (IVS) procedure when it was first developed by Petros and Ulmsten. It was also the first society in the world to apply the Integral Theory System to address prolapse, urinary and fecal incontinence in a holistic way. Since then AAVIS has developed into a true multidisciplinary pelvic floor society with members around the world and welcomes membership enquiries from any interested persons. There are regular training, accreditation and clinical meetings and each year there is an Annual Scientific Meeting.

In 2010 AAVIS held its’ annual scientific meeting in Vienna. At this meeting it was decided to change the name of the society to reflect the international and multidisciplinary nature of the society. AAVIS became the ISPP (International Society for Pelviperineology), and automatically included the membership of the Integrated Pelvic Group from Italy and other affiliated Societies. ISPP is also active in Germany, Japan and Indonesia. The Society is registered as an incorporated body in New South Wales, Australia. The journal Pelviperineology is the official publication of the society.

This year the second ISPP International Congress will be held in Tokyo, Japan from October 22nd – 25th, 2012. This will be the 14th Annual Scientific meeting of the society.