Suture Complication Rates and Surgical Outcomes According to the Nonabsorbable Suture Materials Used in Vaginal Uterosacral Ligament Suspension: Polyester versus Polypropylene

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate suture complication rates and surgical outcomes according to the nonabsorbable suture materials used in vaginal uterosacral ligament suspension (USLS) surgery. Multifilament polyester (polyethylene terephthalate [PET]) and monofilament polypropylene (PP) sutures were compared.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Single teaching hospital.

PATIENTS

Total of 229 patients who underwent transvaginal USLS and completed a 1-year follow-up.

INTERVENTIONS

Use of PET and PP sutures for transvaginal USLS procedures.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

PP sutures were used in 149 patients, and PET sutures were used in 80 patients. The suture-related complication rates, including granulation tissue and suture erosion at the vaginal apex, were significantly higher in the PET suture group than in the PP suture group (46.3% vs 20.1%, p <.01). However, there was no significant difference in the rates of surgical failure (defined as the presence of vaginal bulging symptoms, apical descent ≥ half of the total vaginal length, anterior or posterior vaginal wall descent beyond the hymen, or retreatment for prolapse) between the 2 groups (p = .84).

CONCLUSION

Compared with the use of multifilament PET sutures, the use of monofilament PP sutures in transvaginal USLS may reduce suture-related complications without increasing surgical failure rates.

Surgery for Apical Vaginal Prolapse After Hysterectomy: Abdominal Sacrocolpopexy

The number of surgeries for pelvic organ prolapse in the United States is increasing. Abdominal sacrocolpopexy has become the gold standard for women desiring a restorative repair of their apical pelvic organ prolapse. Despite the associated morbidity of abdominal sacrocolpopexy, advances in minimally invasive approaches have safely increased the number of these surgeries performed, especially among urologists. Moreover, a number of studies have demonstrated superior objective outcomes after abdominal sacrocolpopexy when compared with vaginal approaches. Variations in the technique are described, but no consensus exists on a standard approach.