Abdominal Sacral Colpopexy with Prolene Mesh

The objective was to evaluate abdominal colposacropexy using Prolene mesh to correct total vaginal vault prolapse or total procidentia. Between 1994 and 1997 we performed colposacropexy on 15 patients for simple vaginal vault prolapse (in 7 cases after hysterectomy) and for total uterine prolapse in 8 cases. In these cases a simple abdominal hysterectomy was performed. We simultaneously performed colposacropexy with colposuspension according to the Burch technique for urinary stress incontinence in 6 cases. The colposacropexy technique consisted of isolating the vaginal apex and creating a retroperitoneal tunnel from the vagina to the sacral promontory. Between the vaginal cul de sac and the sacrum, a mesh of Prolene is inserted and fixed with non-absorbable sutures. The Foley catheter was removed after 4–12 days (average 5). Average follow-up was 15 months. No intraoperative complications occurred, and all patients who were sexually active have resumed normal sexual activity; no infections or rejections of the prostheses have been verified. We believe that it is very important to restore the normal anatomic support of the vaginal vault after prolapse. This strong support is assured by fixing the vaginal apex to the periosteum of the sacrum using Prolene mesh. Colposacropexy with Prolene mesh is a safe and effective technique for the surgical therapy of vaginal vault prolapse.     

Analysis of risk factors associated with surgical failure of sacrospinous suspension for uterine or vaginal vault prolapse

The goal of this study was to analyze the potential risk factors determining surgical failure after sacrospinous suspension for uterine or vaginal vault prolapse. Each woman underwent a detailed history taking and a vaginal examination before treatment. Follow-up evaluations were at immediate post-operation, 1 week, 1 to 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and annually after the operation. The surgical failure rate (27/168) following sacrospinous suspension was 16.1%. Using multivariable logistic regression, women with the presence of C or D point stage I at immediate post-operation were a significant risk factor for surgical failure after sacrospinous suspension (odds ratio, 35.34; 95% confidence interval, 8.75–162.75; p < 0.001). The success rate during the 18-month follow-up decreased significantly in women with the presence of C or D point stage I at immediate post-operation than stage 0. Although the sample size of women with symptomatic uterine or vaginal vault prolapse is small, impaired correction of anatomic defects is a significant risk factor for surgical failure of sacrospinous suspension.     

Partial colpocleisis for the treatment of sacrocolpopexy mesh erosions

The purpose of this study is to describe the outcomes of partial colpocleisis for mesh erosions after sacrocolpopexy. We retrospectively report our surgical management of mesh erosion after sacrocolpopexy. Between 1998 and 2006, we performed 499 sacral colpopexies and treated 21 patients for mesh erosion, including three referrals. Mean (range) time to diagnosis was 10.3 months (1–49). Grafts materials included: Mersilene (13), Prolene (7), and Pelvicol (1). Surgical outcomes were available for 19 patients. Ten (48%) patients were cured by the initial partial colpocleisis, while nine (45%) required a second or third (2, 10%) vaginal operation. All of the second and third vaginal excisions failed. Eight patients had an abdominal excision, and two patients required a second abdominal procedure. The success rate for the first and second abdominal resections was 38% (3/8) and 100% (2/2). Abdominal surgeries had higher blood loss (84 vs 378 cc, p = 0.012) longer hospitalization (outpatient vs 4.2 days p = 0.001), and additional morbidity (18.6%). Potential contributing factors to surgical failure were the presence of Actinomyces and current smoking. We recommend initial transvaginal mesh resection with partial colpocleisis for synthetic mesh erosions after sacrocolpopexy. Vaginal failures may be better served by an abdominal excision. Potential contributors to failure include current smoking and the presence of Actinomyces. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Perioperative complications in abdominal sacrocolpopexy and vaginal sacrospinous ligament fixation procedures

This study assessed perioperative complications in abdominal sacrocolpopexy and vaginal sacrospinous ligament fixation procedures. Perioperative complications were defined as any complication occurring during surgery or the first 6 weeks postoperatively. Forty-five patients underwent abdominal procedures (20 sacrohysteropexy and 25 sacrocolpopexy) and 60 patients underwent vaginal sacrospinous fixation. Of the 105 patients, 13 had vaginal vault prolapse. In the abdominal group, one bladder injury, four hemorrhages, and three wound dehiscences occurred. In the vaginal group, one rectal injury and one postoperative vaginal vault infection occurred. Major and minor complications were more frequent in the abdominal group than in the vaginal group. Blood loss was not significantly different. The operating time and hospital stay in the abdominal group were significantly longer than in the vaginal group. In conclusion, abdominal sacrocolpopexy had a higher rate of perioperative complications and longer hospital stay and operating time.     

Sacral colpopexy using mersilene mesh in the treatment of vaginal vault prolapse

We report the efficacy and safety of abdominal sacral colpopexy using Mersilene mesh to treat vaginal vault prolapse. A total of 61 patients underwent sacral colpopexy to treat vaginal vault prolapse of whom 58 were available for evaluation. The procedure utilizes an abdominal approach to expose the vaginal vault and the anterior surface of the first and second sacral vertebrae. A Mersilene mesh is fastened to the anterior and posterior vaginal walls then anchored to the sacrum without tension. Hysterectomy and posterior colporrhaphy were performed as indicated. Concomitant anti-incontinence surgery was performed in 52 patients: 41 underwent Burch colposuspension, and 11 had pubovaginal sling placement. To assess long-term subjective and clinical efficacy, patients completed a questionnaire and underwent pelvic examination at least 1 year following surgery. The resolution of symptoms, objective restoration of normal pelvic support, and urinary continence defined surgical success. Median patient age at operation was 62 years. Previous operations included 29 hysterectomy procedures, five failed sacrospinous fixation, and 12 failed anti-incontinence procedures. The total complication rate was 15%. With a median follow-up of 26 months, complete correction of vaginal prolapse was found in 91% of patients. Vaginal symptoms were relieved in 90% of patients and 88% of patients had resolution of their urinary incontinence. Ninety percent of patients were satisfied with the surgery and would recommend it to others. Sacral colpopexy using Mersilene mesh relieves vaginal vault symptoms, restores vaginal function, and provides durable pelvic support.     

A new needle suspension procedure for genuine stress incontinence and anterior vaginal wall prolapse

A new suspension method was developed for the correction of anterior vaginal wall relaxation and genuine stress incontinence. This procedure suspends the anterior vaginal wall to the anterior rectus fascia, and in doing so gives support to the bladder neck, anterior vaginal wall and vaginal apex. The procedure is performed at the time of vaginal hysterectomy or correction of anterior vaginal wall relaxation. The authors present their experience with this technique in 31 patients.Editorial Comment: Numerous types of surgery for the simultaneous correction of stress incontinence and cystocele and/or procidentia have been described in the literature. Some have proved more efficient for the correction of stress incontinence and others for the correction of disturbed pelvic support. The authors use the known method of needle suspension for the correction of stress incontinence, but for the new purpose of correction of cystocele/procidentia and stress incontinence. If necessary, vaginal hysterectomy can be performed with the originally planned intervention. As the criterion of an efficient outcome for the correction of genital statics, the author uses a vaginal depth of greater than 5 cm, which is less than normal. The successful correction of genital statics after 24 months was reported to be 93%, which is an extremely favorable result, resembling the success rate achieved by much more complicated surgeries (e.g. sacrospinous vault fixation or fixation of the vagina to the sacrum). The successful correction of stress incontinence in 82% of patients after 24 months is also favorable, and comparable to the results achieved by other surgical methods of needle suspension for the correction of stress incontinence.     

Current status of robotics in female urology and gynecology

Currently, there has been limited reporting and research in the female urology and gynecological literature concerning the use of robotics. To date, robotics have been utilized only for the treatment of three benign gynecologic conditions: benign hysterectomy; repair of vesicovaginal fistula; and sacrocolpopexy which is a treatment for posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse. We describe a novel minimally invasive technique of vaginal vault prolapse repair and present our initial experience. The surgical technique involves placement of five laparoscopic ports: three for the daVinci® robot and two for the assistant. A polypropylene mesh is then attached to the sacral promontory and to the vaginal apex using Gortex sutures. Thirty-one patients underwent a robotic-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy at our institution in the past 24 months for severe symptomatic vaginal vault prolapse. Complications were limited to mild port site infections in two patients, which resolved with oral antibiotic therapy. While our early experience utilizing robotic repairs in female urology and gynecology is encouraging, long-term data are needed to confirm these findings and establish longevity of the repair.Financial disclosure of authors: D.S. Elliott: none; G. Chow: none; M. Gettman: none     

Vaginal cuff dehiscence with adnexal mass evisceration after abdominal hysterectomy

INTRODUCTIONMore commonly, a vaginal cuff dehiscence is a complication of robotic or laparoscopic hysterectomy while dehiscence is less commonly observed following total abdominal or vaginal hysterectomies.PRESENTATION OF CASEThree years after an uncomplicated total abdominal hysterectomy for fibroid uterus, a 50 year old female with a known, large adnexal mass presented with vaginal cuff dehiscence and prolapse of the adnexal mass through the vaginal cuff.DISCUSSIONWe discuss surgical risk factors including route of hysterectomy, method of colpotomy and vaginal cuff closure as contributing factors for vaginal cuff dehiscence in our patient.CONCLUSIONAny large pelvic mass that may potentially exert pressure necrosis on the vaginal cuff, even remote from hysterectomy may result a vaginal cuff dehiscence. Emergent surgical intervention is warranted.     

Conservation of the prolapsed uterus is a valid option: medium term results of a prospective comparative study with the posterior intravaginal slingoplasty operation

It has been reported that, by the age of 80, the risk of women to undergo surgery for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) exceeds 10%, a percentage expected to increase with the rise in life expectancy. The vaginal approach for POP reconstructive operations is associated with fewer complications and results in a shorter rehabilitation period than the abdominal route, whereas hysterectomy is widely performed concomitantly whenever the uterus is significantly prolapsed. However, there is no clear evidence supporting the role of hysterectomy in improving surgery outcome. We present our experience with a new minimally invasive procedure—the posterior intravaginal slingplasty (PIVS) for correction of advanced uterine prolapse—at the same time, comparing additive vaginal hysterectomy to uterine preservation, to evaluate the therapeutic significance of hysterectomy when vaginal apical prolapse is reconstructed with PIVS. Seventy-nine women presenting with moderate to severe uterine prolapse were enrolled into the current PIVS study. Vaginal hysterectomy was concomitantly performed upon patient’s request (44 patients), whereas those wishing to preserve their uterus underwent reconstructive surgery only (35 patients). No intraoperative or postoperative major complications were recorded during an average follow-up of 29.8 months: One patient (1.3%) presented with surgical failure, whereas 71 (89.9%) of the operated patients reported satisfaction with the therapeutic results. Bladder overactivity symptoms declined from three thirds of the patients preoperatively to below 10% postoperatively. Ten (12.7%) patients had vaginal tape protrusion; all underwent segmental tape resection at the out-patient clinic. Because the PIVS procedure does not require either laparotomy or deep transvaginal dissection, as previously required for operative intervention, the hospitalization period was relatively short: 4.2 days for the hysterectomy group and 1.5 for the non-hysterectomy group. Other statistically significant differences between the hysterectomy and non-hysterectomy groups were the average ages (63.5 vs 51.0 years, respectively) and concomitant surgery (87% vs 69%, respectively, the higher percentage due to additive amputation of elongated uterine cervices). No other significant differences were recorded. The current results support the previously reported efficacy, safety, and simplicity of the PIVS procedure as well as the legitimacy of uterine preservation. Moreover, unstable bladder symptoms were found to be improved after this operation. However, long-term data are required to be able to draw solid conclusions concerning the superiority of the discussed operation.     

Bilateral extraperitoneal uterosacral suspension: a new approach to correct posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse

Restoration of apical vaginal support remains a challenging problem for the pelvic reconstructive surgeon. The transvaginal use of the uterosacral-cardinal ligament complex is gaining increasing popularity in the surgical treatment of uterovaginal and posthysterectomy vault prolapse. We describe an extraperitoneal surgical approach using this ligamentous complex to reattach the vaginal apex in women with posthysterectomy vault prolapse and report our surgical experience with this procedure in 123 women over 5 years. The relevant anatomy related to the procedure and risk of ureteric injury with uterosacral suspension is also reviewed. Extraperitoneal vault suspension can be combined with the use of polypropylene mesh if required. The extraperitoneal approach is an alternative procedure in women with vault prolapse with or without concomitant enterocele or where access to the Pouch of Douglas is difficult particularly after previous pelvic surgery. We believe this procedure to have less risk of ureteral injury than the intraperitoneal approach.     

Small bowel trans-vaginal evisceration following vault biopsy: general surgeons beware!

A case-report of vaginal evisceration following vault biopsy is described. This case highlights the importance of good surgical technique when performing a vaginal biopsy in order to avoid this rare, but life-threatening, complication. General surgeons may well be faced with this acute presentation and prompt management is vital in order to preserve the involved small bowel.     

Anatomical and functional results of McCall culdoplasty in the prevention of enteroceles and vaginal vault prolapse after vaginal hysterectomy

The objective of the study is to evaluate the anatomical and functional results of the McCall culdoplasty in the treatment of moderate hysterocele and the prevention of enterocele and vaginal vault prolapse after vaginal hysterectomy. Using a modified McCall procedure, 185 patients underwent vaginal hysterectomy for mild or moderate uterine prolapse. Pre- and post-operative assessments were carried out using the International Continence Society staging system. The 24-month follow-up showed stable 89.2% incidence of stage 0 vaginal vault prolapse (point C) and a 10% incidence of stage 1 vaginal vault prolapse that was well tolerated and did not require revision surgery. Functional analysis showed satisfactory sexual function at 24 months post-surgery for 81.2% of patients. The McCall culdoplasty did not lead to a disruption of the vaginal axis and gave excellent anatomical and functional results in maintaining support after vaginal hysterectomy, especially in sexually active patients.     

Culdolaparoscopic cholecystectomy during vaginal hysterectomy.

BACKGROUND: Exploration of the abdominal cavity is routinely performed during abdominal and laparoscopic hysterectomies. The visualization of the abdomen during vaginal hysterectomy, however, is not usually done. During a vaginal hysterectomy, after the uterus is removed, an opening is present in the cul-de-sac, which offers a unique opportunity for the performance of not only exploratory but also concomitant surgeries, such as a cholecystectomy. METHOD: Culdolaparascopy is a culdoscopy assisted laparoscopic technique that utilizes a 12-mm trocar in the vagina as a multifunctional port in conjunction with laparoscopy and minilaparoscopy. A cholecystectomy was performed utilizing the vaginal trocar as an insufflation, visual, and extracting port during a vaginal hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: Culdolaparoscopy, when performed during vaginal hysterectomy, can be used for exploration and operation in the abdominal cavity. This case report illustrates the feasibility of a cholecystectomy performed using this surgical concept.     

Laparoscopic management of bleeding after laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the results and contributions of laparoscopy in the management of postoperative bleeding following laparoscopic (LH) or vaginal hysterectomy (VH). METHODS: A retrospective study of a 5-year period was carried out on 1167 women who underwent laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy. Ten women with postoperative bleeding following laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy were identified. RESULTS: The overall incidence of bleeding after laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy was 0.85% (10 of 1167). Over the 5-year study period, the incidence fluctuated between 1.1% and 0.4%. Surgical revision was primarily vaginal in 1 woman, followed by laparoscopic control. In 6 patients, laparoscopy was performed immediately. The patients profited from the prompt laparoscopic treatment, because intraabdominal hemorrhage was found and stopped. Of 6 cases of intraperitoneal bleeding, 1 resulted from a blood disorder. The collagen-fibrin agent TachoComb was applied locally, and the patient was postoperatively treated with blood products and coagulation factors. Only bipolar coagulation, TachoComb, and Foley catheter were used to achieve local hemostasis during laparoscopy. The remaining 3 cases where the vaginal cuff was bleeding were managed by vaginal repair and packing without laparoscopy. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic approach to postoperative bleeding following laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy is an attractive alternative to the abdominal surgical approach. Bleeding following laparoscopic or vaginal hysterectomy can be managed by laparoscopy in the majority of patients. Because the abdominal incision is avoided, the recovery time is reduced.     

阴式子宫切除加阴道前后壁修补术治疗子宫脱垂20例临床分析

目的探讨阴式子宫切除联合阴道前后壁修补术治疗子宫脱垂的效果。方法对2011-01-2013-06间20例宫脱垂合并阴道前后壁膨出患者行阴式子宫切除联合阴道前后壁修补术。结果平均手术时间(78±17)min,平均术中失血量(77±23)mL,术后住院时间(8.2±1.0)d。20例患者术后症状全部消失,无并发症发生。结论阴式子宫切除联合阴道前后壁修补术是治疗子宫脱垂的安全、有效手段。     

Small bowel obstruction after vaginal vault suspension: a series of three cases

Surgical correction of pelvic organ prolapse is increasingly common. The vaginal approach is often favored secondary to its limited peritoneal cavity access and low complication rates. A thorough review of the literature revealed no previous reports of primary vaginal reconstructive surgery leading to small bowel obstruction (SBO). Three patients who underwent transvaginal hysterectomy, uterosacral ligament vaginal vault suspension, and other reconstructive procedures subsequently suffered from SBO. All patients failed conservative management and required surgery. All were treated with laparoscopy initially, but two patients required laparotomy to correct iatrogenic enterotomies. The complication of SBO should be considered in the post vaginal surgery patient with abdominal pain. Though laparoscopic surgery can be considered, our experience has been discouraging. Candidate selection is critical and care should be taken to avoid enterotomy. No external funding was used for this project.     

Assessment of the durability of robot-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for treatment of vaginal vault prolapse

Transabdominal sacrocolpopexy has been shown, in multiple long-term studies of its success and durability, to be the definitive treatment option for post-hysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse. It is, however, associated with greater morbidity than vaginal repair. We describe a minimally invasive technique for vaginal vault prolapse repair and present our experience with a minimum of one-year follow-up. The surgical technique involves five laparoscopic ports—three for the da Vinci robot and two for the assistant. After appropriate dissection a polypropylene mesh is attached to the sacral promontory and to the vaginal apex by use of Gore-Tex sutures. The mesh material is then covered by the peritoneum. Patient analysis focused on complications, urinary continence, patient satisfaction, and morbidity, with a minimum of 12 months follow-up. Forty-two patients with post-hysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy at our institute and 35 have a minimum of 12 months follow-up, with a mean follow-up of 36 months (range 12–48) in the group. Mean age was 67 (47–83) years and mean operating time was 3.1 (2.15–4.75) h for the entire cohort. All but one patient were discharged home on postoperative day one; one patient left on postoperative day two. One developed recurrent grade three rectocele, one had recurrent vault prolapse, and two suffered from vaginal extrusion of mesh. All patients were satisfied with their outcome. The robot-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy is a minimally invasive technique for vaginal vault prolapse repair, combining the advantages of open sacrocolpopexy with the reduced morbidity of laparoscopy. We observed reduced hospital stay, low occurrence of complications, and high patient satisfaction, with a minimum of 1-year follow-up. Most importantly, the long-term results of the robotic repair are similar to those of open repair, but with significantly less morbidity.