Laparoscopic surgical anatomy for pelvic floor surgery.

Understanding anatomy is one of the pillars for performing a safe, effective, and efficient surgery, but recently, it is reported that there has been a decline in teaching anatomy during the preclinical years of medical school. There is also evidence that by the time a medical student becomes a clinician, a considerable proportion of the basic anatomy knowledge is lost. Hence, it is crucial for surgeons performing or assisting in pelvic floor surgery to revisit this integral clinical aspect of pelvic anatomy for performing a safe surgery. Pelvic organ prolapse repair, especially abdominal laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy, which is the gold standard of pelvic organ prolapse repair, presents a significant challenge to surgeons because the technique requires thorough and meticulous negotiation through abdomino-pelvic vascular structures and nerves supplying the pelvis, rectum, and ureters. The abdominal laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy surgery requires surgeons to have a deep understanding of anatomy to prevent potential life-threatening complications, which is as critical as it is for a pilot to understand the navigation route for a safe landing. This review is an extensive look and a great reminder to laparoscopic surgeons working in the pelvic cavity, especially those performing a pelvic floor surgery, about the anatomical safe routes for performing laparoscopic pelvic floor repairs. For easy reading and clear understanding, we have described step by step the safe anatomical journey a surgeon needs to take during laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. We divided the technique into five critical anatomic locations (landmarks), which serves as our "flight map" for performing safe and efficient laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy.

Morbidity of a Single Incision Transvaginal Mesh to Correct Apical Prolapse.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine complications and related reintervention rates associated with use of the Uphold Vaginal Support System (Boston Scientific, Boston, MA) for symptomatic vaginal apical prolapse. DESIGN: A multicenter retrospective study. SETTING: Two teaching hospitals. PATIENTS: Fifty-nine women with symptomatic vaginal apical prolapse. INTERVENTION: Vaginal apical prolapse surgery using the Uphold Mesh Kit system with or without other concomitant procedures. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A chart review was performed, including the following parameters: perioperative and postoperative complications, repeat surgery, and recurrence rate. A total of 59 patients met the criteria for inclusion in the study. Bladder perforation occurred perioperatively in 1 patient. Postoperative voiding difficulties were observed in 16 patients (27.1%), including 9 women (15.2%) who left the hospital with an indwelling catheter in place. There were 5 cases (8.5%) of transient groin pain, all of which resolved spontaneously. One patient developed a vaginal hematoma. Nine women (15%) required reoperation, including 4 (6.7%) because of recurrent prolapse and 1 (2%) for pelvic pain considered related to the mesh. Three patients (5%) required release of a midurethral sling (MUS) that had been placed concomitantly with the Uphold system. Two patients (3%) required a MUS for de novo stress incontinence. CONCLUSION: Use of the Uphold Vaginal Support System for symptomatic vaginal apical prolapse was associated with a significant risk of obstructed micturition. In our study population, 15% required repeat surgery, mainly for recurrent pelvic organ prolapse and de novo stress urinary incontinence. No surgical-related complication resulted in long-term morbidity.