Complications and clinical outcomes of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse

Abstract

Evidence on laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) is lacking. Herein, we describe the complications and outcomes of LSC. This single-centre, retrospective cohort study included women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) who underwent LSC between 2015 and 2017. Preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative, and demographic data were collected. We evaluated patients using the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification system and questionnaires. The primary outcomes were operative characteristics, perioperative complications, early postoperative complications, and anatomical results at 12 months. Forty-six patients (median age: 71 years) underwent LSC. The median follow-up period was 12.0 ± 5.0 (range: 11–26) months. The perioperative complications were bladder perforation and vaginal injury (2.2%). Two (4.3%) patients required reoperation for port-site hernia. One (2.2%) patient developed a retroperitoneal abscess, and one (2.2%) had worsened stress urinary incontinence after LSC. Three (6.5%) patients presented with recurrence of prolapse. LSC is safe and effective for POP.

IMPACT STATEMENT

• What is already known on this subject? Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) has become a widely used intervention strategy during the last decade; nevertheless, few studies have reported its outcomes and complications.

• What do the results of this study add? We demonstrate that LSC for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) has favourable anatomical and voiding functional results, and few perioperative complications. However, it is important to preoperatively inform patients regarding the incidence of mesh-related postoperative complications, although they are not life-threatening, and secure their informed consent.

• What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? We believe that the LSC procedure, because of its short-term and functional outcomes in the lower urinary tract discussed here, will be more commonly available in clinical practice as a feasible and safe surgical option for POP. However, prospective, large-sample studies should be performed to verify the efficacy of LSC, as further evaluation of the procedure is required.

Keywords:

• Complication
• incontinence
• mesh surgery
• short-term outcome
• pelvic organ prolapsus

Acknowledgements

We thank Doctors. J. Mochida and S. Teramoto for realising the potential of this study. We also thank Editage (www.editage.jp) for English language editing.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Datasets are available upon reasonable request.