Long term surgical outcomes of vaginal colposuspension using the Uphold Lite™ mesh system vs. vaginal vault uterosacral ligament suspension for treatment of apical prolapse.

The aim of this study is to compare long-term outcomes (7-10 years) between vaginal hysterectomy with uterosacral ligament suspension (VHUSLS) and sacrospinous hysteropexy with the Uphold™ Lite mesh System (SHU) for management of apical prolapse.

Patients undergoing VHUSLS or SHU from 2008 to 2012 at a single tertiary referral center were included. Patients were contacted, asked to return for physical examination, and to complete the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) questionnaire. Our primary outcome was anatomic failure defined as Stage 2 POP or higher of any compartment. The secondary outcome was subjective changes in symptoms based upon PFDI-20 responses.

Two-hundred and two women were identified to have undergone the index surgeries from 2008 to 2012. Sixty-three agreed to return for follow up symptom evaluation and examination (30 VHUSLS and 33 SHU). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Clinical cure was high for both groups reaching 93.4 % and 94.0 % for the VHUSLS and SHU groups, respectively (p = 0.721). Anatomical success was lower with 44.7 % and 66.7 % of patients in the VHUSLS and SHU groups, respectively, meeting criteria for success (p = 0.138). There were no mesh complications among patients returning for exams. However, two patients who were contacted and were not interested in this study reported mesh complications and need for additional surgeries. Anterior vaginal wall support was noted to be significantly better supported for SHU (Ba -2.03 ± 0.75 vs -1.42 ± 0.92, p = 0.008). There were no differences between groups for overall PFDI-20 scores postoperatively. However, SHU patients reported higher rates of stress urinary incontinence compared to VHUSLS patients.

In women with apical prolapse, VHUSLS and SHU afford similar long-term outcomes. SHU patients reported higher rates of stress urinary incontinence.

European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology. 2022 Dec 01 [Epub]

Svjetlana Lozo, Henry H Chill, Carolyn Botros, Roger P Goldberg, Adam Gafni-Kane

Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, NYC, NY, USA., Division of Urogynecology, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Skokie, IL, USA. Electronic address: ., Atlantic Urogynecology Associates, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morristown, NJ, USA., Division of Urogynecology, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Skokie, IL, USA.