Objective: To study the impact of vaginal mesh exposure on quality of life in patients undergoing transvaginal reconstructive pelvic surgery (RPS) with polypropylene mesh.
Methods: From May 2004 to March 2011, 114 patients with severe pelvic organ prolapse (POP) undergoing transvaginal RPS with polypropylene mesh were enrolled in this study, which were divided into exposure and non-exposure group according to appearing vaginal mesh exposure at 2 months, 6 months and 1 year after operation. At the same time, pelvic floor distress inventory short form 20 (PFDI-20) and pelvic floor impact questionnaire short form 7 (PFIQ-7) were completed in those patients.
Results: At 2 months after operation, 96 patients were followed up, including 19 patients in exposure group and 77 patients in non-exposure group, and the rate of exposure was 19.8% (19/96); At 6 months after operation, 85 patients were followed up, including 13 patients in exposure group and 72 patients in non-exposure group, and the rate of exposure was 15.3% (13/85); At 1 year after operation, 77 patients were followed up, including 6 patients in exposure group and 71 patients in non-exposure group, and the rate of exposure was 7.8% (6/77). Mean score of PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 in exposure group before operation was 39.6 and 57.1, which was statistically improved to 8.3 and 9.5 at 2 months after operation, 8.3 and 9.5 at 6 months after operation, 2.1 and 0 in 1 year after operation (P < 0.01). Mean score of PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 of non-exposure group before operation was 54.2 and 66.7, which was improved to 8.3 and 4.8 at 2 months after operation, 0 at 6 months and 1 year after operation, but there was no significant difference in mean score of PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 between the two groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Vaginal mesh exposure was common after transvaginal RPS with polypropylene mesh, however, most of them were moderate, and there was no significant impact on patients' qualifies of life.