Long-term pelvic organ prolapse recurrence and mesh exposure following sacrocolpopexy

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Large, long-term studies are needed to compare pelvic organ prolapse (POP) recurrence and mesh exposure following all modes of sacrocolpopexy (open, robotic, and laparoscopic). We hypothesized that the prevalence of recurrent POP and mesh exposure does not differ between modes of sacrocolpopexy.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study with a cross-sectional, prospective survey. Participants were surveyed regarding complications, retreatments, and symptoms following sacrocolpopexy. Baseline characteristics, POP recurrence, mesh exposure, and survey responses were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 709 participants met the criteria. Median time from sacrocolpopexy to last follow-up for all participants was 0.5 years (2 days to 13.4 years). 15.0% experienced recurrent stage 2 or greater POP or underwent retreatment (open 11.7% [95% CI 7.8-17.2%]; robotic 21.1% [95% CI 15.6-27.9%]; laparoscopic 13.8% [95% CI 10.6-17.9%]; p = 0.03). After adjusting for baseline differences there was no significant difference among groups (p = 0.30). 5.3% experienced mesh and/or suture exposure (mesh n = 19, suture n = 10, mesh and suture n = 8) with no significant difference among groups (open 7.7% [95% CI 4.6-12.5%]; robotic 3.6% [95% CI 1.7-7.6%]; laparoscopic 4.9% [95% CI 3.1-7.7%]; p = 0.20). Median time from sacrocolpopexy to survey completion was 6.5 (1.6-13.4) years. 9.2% reported evaluation or treatment for recurrent POP (open 6.3% [95% CI 2.1-16.8%]; robotic 12.5% [95% CI 6.9-21.5%]; laparoscopic 8.5% [5.1-13.8%]; p = 0.44). 6.9% reported evaluation or treatment for mesh exposure (open 6.0% [95% CI 2.1-16.2%]; robotic 3.9% [95% CI 1.3-10.7%]; laparoscopic 8.6% [5.2-13.9%]; p = 0.38).

CONCLUSIONS

Objective and patient-reported long-term prevalence of POP recurrence and mesh exposure are low following all modes of sacrocolpopexy.

Surgical preparation: are patients "ready" for stress urinary incontinence surgery?

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Patient preparedness for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) surgery is associated with improvements in post-operative satisfaction, symptoms and quality of life (QoL). This planned secondary analysis examined the association of patient preparedness with surgical outcomes, treatment satisfaction and quality of life.

METHODS

The ValUE trial compared the effect of pre-operative urodynamic studies with a standardized office evaluation of outcomes of SUI surgery at 1 year. In addition to primary and secondary outcome measures, patient satisfaction with treatment was measured using a five-point Likert scale (very dissatisfied to very satisfied) that queried subjects to rate the treatment's effect on overall incontinence, urge incontinence, SUI, and frequency. Preparedness for surgery was assessed using an 11-question Patient Preparedness Questionnaire (PPQ).

RESULTS

Based on PPQ question 11, 4 out of 5 (81 %) of women reported they "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that they were prepared for surgery. Selected demographic and clinical characteristics were similar in unprepared and prepared women. Among SUI severity baseline measures, total UDI score was significantly but weakly associated with preparedness (question 11 of the PPQ; Spearman's r = 0.13, p = 0.001). Although preparedness for surgery was not associated with successful outcomes, it was associated with satisfaction (r s = 0.11, p = 0.02) and larger PGI-S improvement (increase; p = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately half (48 %) of women "strongly agreed" that they felt prepared for SUI. Women with higher pre-operative preparedness scores were more satisfied, although surgical outcomes did not differ.

Surgical management of uterine prolapse

The surgical management of uterine prolapse requires an apical suspension procedure, with or without uterine removal. Options in the surgical treatment of uterine prolapse encompass the open, laparoscopic, or vaginal approaches. Vaginal apical suspension procedures include the uterosacral vaginal vault suspension, sacrospinous ligament fixation, iliococcygeus fascia suspension, and the McCall or Mayo culdoplasty. The abdominal sacral colpopexy may be performed via laparotomy or laparoscopy. Uterine preservation techniques include the Manchester procedure, sacrospinous hysteropexy, laparoscopic sacral hysteropexy and laparoscopic uterosacral vault suspension. Most of the data for subjective and objective outcomes for these prolapse procedures are from uncontrolled retrospective case series. Currently there is no definitive gold standard procedure to favor a particular route in the treatment of uterine prolapse. Thus, the optimal procedure to treat uterine prolapse depends on the specific defects that are present, as well as considerations such as the patient's age, comorbidities, activity level, desire for future fertility, history of prior prolapse surgery in other compartments, patient preference, as well as the skill and comfort level of the surgeon with the particular surgery.

Quality of life after surgery for genital prolapse in elderly women: obliterative and reconstructive surgery

The objective of this study was to determine if obliterative and reconstructive vaginal surgery for advanced pelvic organ prolapse improve quality of life in elderly women. Women age 65 years or older with stage 3 or 4 pelvic organ prolapse who desired surgical correction were prospectively enrolled. The subjects underwent either obliterative or reconstructive vaginal surgery based on their personal preference and sexual expectations. The subjects received a pelvic organ prolapse quantitation examination and completed the pelvic floor distress inventory (PFDI), the pelvic floor impact questionnaire (PFIQ), the SF-36, and the Beck depression inventory preoperatively, 6 and 12 months after surgery. Seventy-nine subjects were enrolled, 70 of whom completed follow-up: 30 in the obliterative group and 40 in the reconstructive group. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in the pelvic organ prolapse, urinary, and colorectal scales of the PFDI and PFIQ 6 and 12 months after surgery with no differences between the two treatment groups. In addition, there were significant and clinically important improvements noted in the bodily pain, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health summary scales of the SF-36 in both groups after surgery, with no significant difference between groups. In appropriately selected elderly women, both obliterative and reconstructive vaginal surgery for advanced pelvic organ prolapse significantly improved health-related quality of life.

Laparoscopic surgery for pelvic organ prolapse

There is growing interest in laparoscopic procedures for the correction of pelvic organ prolapse. The goals of prolapse surgery are to correct symptomatic pelvic floor defects and reestablish vaginal support resulting in the maintenance or restoration of normal visceral and sexual function. A thorough understanding of pelvic floor support as well as anterior abdominal wall and intra-abdominal, pelvic, and retropubic anatomy must be ascertained before attempting laparoscopic prolapse procedures. As many of these procedures require advanced laparoscopic skills and experienced surgeons, most of the literatures are comprised of case series by expert surgeons, with many of the studies centered on sacral colpopexies. However, the principles of laparoscopic prolapse surgery are based on open procedures and the only difference in the technique should be related to the route of operation; therefore, the efficacy of laparoscopic prolapse procedures should theoretically be comparable to their open abdominal counterparts.

Laparoscopic management of ureteric obstruction after uterosacral vaginal vault suspension

The uterosacral ligaments commonly are used to correct pelvic organ prolapse. For experienced surgeons, the rate of ureteral injury with uterosacral vaginal vault suspensions is 2%-4%. Exploratory laparotomy and ureterolysis has been used to treat iatrogenic ureteral injury. A 64-year-old woman with stage III pelvic organ prolapse underwent surgical correction with an uterosacral vaginal vault suspension. On postoperative day 1, the patient was diagnosed with partial ureteral obstruction. She underwent laparoscopic ureterolysis and stent placement. A follow-up intravenous pyelogram showed no evidence of damage or obstruction. With proper patient selection, ureteral obstruction after vault suspension procedures can be managed with laparoscopic ureterolysis, avoiding the morbidity associated with laparotomy.