Mesh colposacropexy in the management of anterior vaginal compartment prolapse

J Med Life. 2019 Jan-Mar;12(1):65-70. doi: 10.25122/jml-2019-0018.

Abstract

Pelvic organ prolapse is a frequent female pathology, often causing a negative impact on the patient's quality of life. The purpose of this paper is to present the results that we have achieved in 32 patients with anterior vaginal compartment prolapse, managed using the transvaginal mesh approach. Over a period of twelve months, we have performed 32 transvaginal reconstructive procedures using a four arms polypropylene mesh. The superior arms of the mesh have been passed through the obturator foramen while the inferior arms have been passed through the sacrospinous ligament. The surgery has lead to a significant improvement in the quality of life in this group of patients, this being assessed using self-administered questionnaires that evaluated the quality of life, the sexual function, and urinary continence. Anatomical success was achieved in 96.87% of the cases. In terms of postoperative complications, we mention one case of vaginal erosion, one case of de novo dyspareunia and three cases of pelvic discomfort. So far we have not encountered any mesh exposure cases nor prolapse recurrence. Considering the results that we have achieved in our study, we can conclude that the transvaginal polypropylene mesh approach can prove itself to be a viable solution for the management of genital prolapse, especially if we consider the high postoperative rates of anatomical success and low rates of postoperative complications, as well as improving the patient's quality of life. In spite of these encouraging results, the fact that in recent years FDA has emitted several warnings in terms of postoperative complications following such procedures, as well as the fact that our study was conducted on a small group of patients, limits the strength of our research, its only purpose being to present our experience for this surgical approach over a limited period of time.

Keywords: genital prolapse; mesh sacrocolpopexy; sacrospinous ligament.

MeSH terms

  • Colposcopy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Pelvic Organ Prolapse / surgery*
  • Plastic Surgery Procedures / methods*
  • Postoperative Complications / etiology
  • Quality of Life
  • Surgical Mesh*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vagina / surgery*