Vaginal sacrospinous colpopexy and laparoscopic sacral colpopexy for vaginal vault prolapse

BACKGROUND: Vaginal sacrospinous colpopexy (VSC) and laparoscopic sacral colpopexy (LSC) both correct vault prolapse. The present study compares the perioperative course and long-term results of VSC and LSC. METHODS: This retrospective study of post-hysterectomy vault prolapse involved 111 patients operated with either VSC (n=51) or LSC (n=60). The median time for the postoperative follow-up visit was 33.6 (range: 13-60) months for the LSC group and 38.4 (range: 7-108) months for the VSC group. Prolapse grade as well as the patient's satisfaction was recorded at the follow-up visit. RESULTS: Operation time was significantly shorter in the VSC group (median: 62 min) compared to the LSC group (median: 129 min). The rate of perioperative complications was low in both groups. There were 3 laparotomies in the LSC group, due to perioperative complications. The inpatients days were similar, with 3.7 days (1-18) and 4.0 days (2-21) in the VSC and the LSC group, respectively. Surgery for the recurrence of vault prolapse at any time before the follow-up visit did not occur in the VSC group, but occurred in 7 patients in the LSC group. At the follow-up visit, there was no recurrence of vault prolapse in either group. The subjective success rate was 82% in the VSC and 78% in the LSC group. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that VSC and LSC are two equally effective surgical procedures to correct vaginal vault prolapse, but the LSC technique requires a longer operating time.