Coexisting overactive-underactive bladder and detrusor overactivity-underactivity in pelvic organ prolapse.

OBJECTIVE: The coexisting overactive-underactive bladder (COUB) syndrome could be related to the increased urethral resistance caused by severe pelvic organ prolapse (POP). We aimed to evaluate the clinical and urodynamic findings of patients with COUB and/or detrusor overactivity-underactivity (DOU) in a cohort of patients scheduled for POP surgery and the possible risk factors of COUB after surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed all patients who underwent POP repair between 2008 and 2013, excluding women with a history of pelvic floor surgery. Patients were divided into COUB and non-COUB according to baseline symptoms and into DOU and non-DOU based on urodynamic findings. A multivariate model was performed to identify risk factors for COUB symptoms after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 533 women underwent POP surgery. Preoperatively, patients with COUB had more severe anterior compartment prolapse (Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification staging system Aa point, P = 0.008) and more frequently had overactive bladder compared with controls (P = 0.023). The rate of COUB decreased significantly after surgery. Preoperative opening detrusor pressure resulted as the only independent predictor of postoperative COUB symptoms (P = 0.034). CONCLUSION: POP is a valid pathogenetic model for COUB development. POP repair induced a significant decrease in COUB symptoms with low opening detrusor pressure resulting as the only independent predictor of postoperative COUB.

Native-tissue prolapse repair: Efficacy and adverse effects of uterosacral ligaments suspension at 10-year follow up.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 10-year outcomes of high uterosacral ligaments suspension as a primary repair for apical prolapse and to evaluate the long-term impact of prognostic factors. METHODS: A retrospective study analyzed 10-year follow up after repair of primary apical prolapse through high uterosacral ligament suspension. Bulging symptoms and postoperative prolapse stage II or above were considered subjective and objective recurrences, respectively. Patient Global Impression of Improvement score was used to evaluate subjective satisfaction after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 287 women were analyzed. Ten-year recurrence rates were 19.1% for objective recurrence and 6.3% for subjective recurrence; surgical retreatment rate was 2.1%. Premenopausal status was related to 15-fold increased risk of developing either objective or subjective recurrence. Conversely, anterior and posterior repair were protective factors against reoperation. CONCLUSION: High uterosacral ligaments suspension is a safe and long-lasting effective procedure for the treatment of uterovaginal prolapse even 10 years after index surgery. Premenopausal status and lack of anterior and posterior repair represented long-term risk factors for surgical failure.

Transvaginal primary layered repair of postsurgical urethrovaginal fistula.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Urethrovaginal fistula (UVF) is a rare disorder, which implies the presence of an abnormal communication between the urethra and the vagina. METHODS: Surgical repair options include transurethral, transabdominal and transvaginal procedures, either with or without tissue interposition. The vaginal route is considered a safe and effective option to correct UVF. This video is aimed to present a case of direct transvaginal layered repair of urethrovaginal fistula, without the use of tissue interposition. The featured patient is a 66-year-old woman who developed a symptomatic UVF after a complicated laparoscopic hysterectomy for endometrial cancer 3 years before. Cystoscopy demonstrated the presence of a 7 mm urethral orifice a few millimeters caudal from the bladder neck. After proper informed consent, the patient was admitted to transvaginal primary layered repair, according to the technique demonstrated in the video. The featured procedure was completed in 60 min and blood loss was < 100 ml. No surgical complications were observed. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in restoring the anatomy and relieving the symptoms. CONCLUSION: Transvaginal layered repair without tissue interposition represents a safe and effective procedure for the surgical management of postsurgical urethrovaginal fistula.

Inability to walk and persistent thigh pain after transobturator tape procedure for stress urinary incontinence: surgical management.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Groin pain after transobturator tape is often a self-limiting situation, but can occasionally persist and be associated with serious neurological sequelae. The video is aimed at presenting the surgical management of persistent groin pain and inability to walk after transobturator sling placement and subsequent partial removal. METHODS: The featured patient is a 31-year-old woman unable to walk after transobturator sling implantation 2 years before. She reported left thigh pain immediately after surgery that was not responsive to postoperative medication. Six months later, suburethral portion excision was performed but no pain relief was obtained. She was unable to walk, and needed a wheelchair. Electromyography showed axonal injury of the left obturator nerve. After providing proper informed consent, the patient was admitted for combined transvaginal and transcutaneous transobturator tape arm removal. RESULTS: The featured procedure was completed in 120 min and blood loss was <100 ml. No surgical complications were observed. The patient is currently doing left leg rehabilitation, has regained the ability to walk with the aid of a crutch, and the need for chronic pain control medication is greatly reduced. CONCLUSION: This represents a valid surgical approach for the late management of this mesh-related complication.

Single-incision slings for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence: efficacy and adverse effects at 10-year follow-up.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Single-incision slings are not considered a first-choice surgical treatment owing to a lack of data about long-term outcomes. We aimed to assess the long-term results of urinary incontinence treatment after single-incision sling implantation at 10 years' follow-up and to investigate possible deterioration over time. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed women with subjective and urodynamically proven stress urinary incontinence who underwent single-incision sling procedure. The objective cure rate was assessed with a 300-ml stress test. The subjective cure rate was determined by the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) questionnaire. International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) questionnaire scores and self-answered patient-satisfaction scales were collected to assess symptom severity. Findings were compared with short-term outcomes in the same patients, available through our previous database, in order to detect possible outcome deterioration over time. RESULTS: The records of 60 patients were analyzed. Nine patients (15%) were lost to follow-up. A total of 51 patients completed the evaluation, with a mean follow-up of 10.3 ± 0.7 years. Objective and subjective cure resulted 86.3% and 88.2% respectively. Mean PGI-I scores and ICIQ-SF were 1.5 ± 1.0 and 3.2 ± 4.8 respectively. Patients' satisfaction scored 8.6 ± 2.6 out of 10. No long-term complications occurred. Comparison of short-term (2.6 ± 1.4 years after surgery) and long-term follow-up did not show a significant deterioration of outcome over time. CONCLUSIONS: Single-incision slings were shown to be a procedure with a great efficacy and safety profile at very long-term follow-up. Cure rates and functional outcomes did not show any deterioration over time compared with short-term results.

Surgical management of bladder erosion and pelvic pain after laparoscopic lateral suspension for pelvic organ prolapse.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Mesh-augmented lateral suspension for prolapse repair seems to be associated with few complications. However, mesh-related complications can negatively affect the quality of life and may be challenging to manage. This video is aimed at presenting the surgical management of a case of severe pelvic pain and dyspareunia after lateral laparoscopic suspension associated with mesh erosion in the bladder. METHODS: A 46-year-old woman was referred to our Unit for severe pelvic pain and inability to have sexual intercourses since undergoing a uterus-sparing laparoscopic lateral suspension procedure for genital prolapse 2 years before in another hospital. Moreover, she reported bladder pain and recurrent urinary tract infections. Cystoscopy showed mesh erosion in the bladder. She was admitted to laparoscopic hysterectomy plus subtotal mesh excision and bladder reconstruction (video). RESULTS: No surgical complications were observed. The postoperative course was uneventful. At the current follow-up, the patient reported complete resolution of her symptoms. CONCLUSION: The featured video shows laparoscopic subtotal mesh excision, concomitant hysterectomy and bladder repair for pelvic pain, dyspareunia and bladder erosion after lateral suspension. This video may be useful in providing anatomical views and surgical steps necessary for achieving successful surgical management of this mesh-related complication.

Surgical treatment of complete uterovaginal prolapse and concomitant vaginal cancer: a video case report.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The concurrence of vaginal cancer with irreducible uterine prolapse is rare. Reports about the management of vaginal cancer and concomitant irreducible prolapse are scanty in the literature, and there is no consensus on optimal treatment. In this video case report, we show surgical management of vaginal cancer and concomitant stage IV uterovaginal prolapse. METHODS: The featured video shows surgical management of vaginal cancer and concomitant stage IV uterovaginal prolapse through anterior colpectomy and retrograde hysterectomy en bloc plus transvaginal levator ani plication as a non-obliterative native-tissue technique for apical support. RESULTS: Final examination revealed good apical support and vaginal "habitability" preservation. The patient underwent five sessions of intracavity brachytherapy for a total of 20 Gy as adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSION: Surgical management of vaginal cancer and concomitant stage IV uterovaginal prolapse was successfully achieved without complications. Transvaginal levator ani plication can provide a versatile non-obliterative native-tissue technique for apical support, allowing subsequent adjuvant brachytherapy.

Transvaginal uterosacral ligament hysteropexy versus hysterectomy plus uterosacral ligament suspension: a matched cohort study.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Uterine-sparing procedures are associated with shorter operative time, less blood loss and faster return to activities. Moreover, they are attractive for patients seeking to preserve fertility or concerned about the change of their corporeal image and sexuality after hysterectomy. This study aimed to compare outcomes of transvaginal uterosacral hysteropexy with transvaginal hysterectomy plus uterosacral suspension. METHODS: This retrospective study compared all patients who underwent uterosacral hysteropexy for symptomatic prolapse at our institute to matched control patients who underwent hysterectomy plus uterosacral ligament suspension. Anatomic recurrence was defined as postoperative prolapse stage ≥ II or reoperation for prolapse. Subjective recurrence was defined as the presence of bulging symptoms. PGI-I score was used to evaluate the patients' satisfaction. RESULTS: One hundred four patients (52 for each group) were analyzed. Mean follow-up was 35 months. Hysteropexy was associated with shorter operative time and less bleeding compared with hysterectomy (p < 0.0001), without differences in complication rates. Moreover, overall anatomic and subjective cure rate and patient satisfaction were similar between groups. However, hysteropexy was found to be associated with a significantly higher central recurrence rate (21.2% versus 1.9%, p = 0.002), mostly related to cervical elongation, and subsequently a higher reoperation rate (13.5% versus 1.9%, p = 0.04). A 42.9% pregnancy rate in patients still desiring childbirth was found. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal uterosacral hysteropexy resulted in similar objective and subjective cure rates, and patient satisfaction, without differences in complication rates, compared with vaginal hysterectomy. However, postoperative cervical elongation may lead to higher central recurrence rates and need for reoperation.

Long-term outcomes and five-year recurrence-free survival curves after native-tissue prolapse repair.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term objective and subjective outcomes to build recurrence-free survival curves after mesh-free uterosacral ligament suspension and to evaluate the long-term impact of prognostic factors on outcome measures. METHODS: A retrospective study analyzed 5-year follow-up after repair of primary prolapse through high uterosacral ligament suspension. Bulging symptoms and post-operative prolapse stage II or above were considered subjective and objective recurrences, respectively. The cumulative proportion of relapse-free patients in time was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: A total of 353 women were analyzed. Five-year recurrence rates were 15.0% for objective recurrence, 13.0% for subjective recurrence, and 4.0% for the combined objective and subjective recurrences. Premenopausal status was shown to be a risk factor for anatomic (P=0.022), symptomatic (P=0.001), and combined (P=0.047) recurrence. Conversely, anterior repair was shown to be a protective factor for symptomatic (P=0.012) and combined (P=0.002) recurrence. Most of the recurrences occurred within 2 years after surgery. CONCLUSION: Long-term outcomes after high uterosacral ligament suspension were satisfactory. Premenopausal status and lack of anterior repair represented risk factors for recurrence in the long term.

Risk factors for persistent, de novo and overall overactive bladder syndrome after surgical prolapse repair.

OBJECTIVE: Overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms are frequently associated with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and both postoperative improvement and de novo onset of OAB symptoms have been described. The aim of the study is to identify risk factors for persistent, de novo and overall postoperative OAB after POP repair. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective study including patients who underwent primary POP surgery. Medical interview, urogenital examination and urodynamics were performed preoperatively; patients were examined one and six months after surgery and then yearly. RESULTS: 518 patients were included. 36.1% of women preoperatively complained of OAB symptoms while detrusor overactivity was found in 20.5%. The rate of persistent and de novo OAB after surgery were respectively 14.1% and 13.5%. Multivariate analysis found age, BMI, preoperative OAB, sling placement and postoperative SUI as independent risk factors for overall OAB after surgery. Moreover, preoperative OAB and postoperative constipations were associated with OAB persistence after surgery. Finally, age, sling placement, postoperative SUI and voiding symptoms were independently associated with de novo OAB. CONCLUSION: Preoperative OAB symptoms are associated with OAB persistence after POP surgery, while age and sling placement correlate with de novo OAB. Finally, increased BMI is related to postoperative OAB.

Efficacy of needle retractor device in single-incision slings for treatment of stress urinary incontinence.

BACKGROUND: Single-incision slings demonstrated overall similar effectiveness and less pain and recovery time compared to standard tapes. Efficacy rates vary widely among different commercial kits and may be affected by device characteristics. The aim was to evaluate the impact needle removal device of single-incision sling on objective, subjective and functional outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. Single-incision sling without needle removal device (Group A) were compared to same single-incision sling with needle removal device (Group B) in terms of complications, objective, subjective and functional outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 191 patients were analyzed: 51 in group A and 140 in group B. Estimated blood loss, operative time and overall complications were not different. No bladder perforation or other intraoperative complications were observed. At 12-month follow-up visit, objective cure rate was similar irrespective of the presence of the needle retractor lever (Group A: 84.3%, Group B: 87.1%; P=0.61). Subjective outcomes evaluated as International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) score, ICIQ-SF score improvement and Patient Global Impression of Improvement score were similar between groups. De-novo onset of overactive bladder syndrome resulted more frequent in Group A (Group A: 19.6%, Group: B 7.9%; P=0.02) while voiding symptoms were reported without differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that the presence of a needle retractor device to avoid unintentional tip displacement for single-incision sling had no impact on objective and subjective postoperative continence. However, a reduced rate of de-novo overactive bladder syndrome was observed after implantation of single-incision sling with needle retractor.

Transvaginal native-tissue repair of enterocele.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Enterocele repair represents a challenge for pelvic surgeons. Surgical management implies enterocele sac removal. Subsequently, hernial port closure and adequate suspension may be achieved with Shull uterosacral ligament suspension (ULS). METHODS: A 55-year-old woman with symptomatic stage 3 enterocele was admitted for transvaginal uterosacral ligaments suspension according to the described technique. RESULTS: Surgical procedure was successfully achieved without complications. Final examination revealed excellent pelvic supports and preservation of vaginal length. This step-by-step video tutorial may represent an important tool to improve surgical know-how. CONCLUSIONS: Transvaginal uterosacral ligaments suspension provides a safe and effective technique for enterocele repair without the use of prosthetic materials. Identifying uterosacral ligaments, proper suture placement, and reapproximation of pubocervical and rectovaginal fascias with closure of the hernial port are the key points to achieve surgical success.