Site-specific rectocele repair with dermal graft augmentation: comparison of porcine dermal xenograft (Pelvicol) and human dermal allograft.

This study is a retrospective chart review comparing 195 women who underwent rectocele repair with either a porcine dermal xenograft or human allogenic cadaveric dermal graft augmentation over a two year period. A site-specific defect repair was completed prior to augmentation with the graft. Examinations were performed preoperatively and postoperatively using the pelvic organ prolapse quantification system. Questionnaires were used to assess constipation and dyspareunia. De novo dyspareunia and cure rates for constipation and dyspareunia were not statistically different between the two groups. Site-specific fascial rectocele repairs with xenograft or allograft augmentation were found to have similar complication rates as well as objective and subjective cure rates.

Posterior repair with perforated porcine dermal graft.

OBJECTIVE: To compare postoperative vaginal incision separation and healing in patients undergoing posterior repair with perforated porcine dermal grafts with those that received grafts without perforations. Secondarily, the tensile properties of the perforated and non-perforated grafts were measured and compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a non-randomized retrospective cohort analysis of women with stage II or greater rectoceles who underwent posterior repair with perforated and non-perforated porcine dermal grafts (Pelvicol(TM) CR Bard Covington, GA USA). The incidence of postoperative vaginal incision separation (dehiscence) was compared. A secondary analysis to assess graft tensile strength, suture pull out strength, and flexibility after perforation was performed using standard test method TM 0133 and ASTM bending and resistance protocols. RESULTS: Seventeen percent of patients (21/127) who received grafts without perforations developed vaginal incision dehiscence compared to 7% (5/71) of patients who received perforated grafts (p = 0.078). Four patients with vaginal incision dehiscence with non-perforated grafts required surgical revision to facilitate healing. Neither tensile strength or suture pull out strength were significantly different between perforated and non-perforated grafts (p = 0.81, p = 0.29, respectively). There was no difference in the flexibility of the two grafts (p = 0.20). CONCLUSION: Perforated porcine dermal grafts retain their tensile properties and are associated with fewer vaginal incision dehiscences.

Risk of mesh extrusion and other mesh-related complications after laparoscopic sacral colpopexy with or without concurrent laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy: experience of 402 patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of mesh-related complications including mesh erosion/extrusion rates in patients undergoing laparoscopic sacral colpopexy, with or without concurrent hysterectomy, using macroporous soft polypropylene mesh. DESIGN: Historical cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Private urogynecology clinic. PATIENTS: A total of 446 consecutive patients with uterovaginal or vaginal vault prolapse underwent laparoscopic sacral colpopexy with use of macroporous soft polypropylene mesh from January 2003 through January 2007. In all, 402 consecutive patients met enrollment criteria. Two groups of patients were identified: (1) those receiving concurrent hysterectomy (n = 130); and (2) those with a history of hysterectomy (n = 272). INTERVENTIONS: Patients were treated with laparoscopic sacral colpopexy with use of macroporous soft polypropylene mesh in conjunction with other laparoscopic and/or vaginal procedures. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Data were collected in the form of chart reviews and patient questionnaires. Comparisons were made between groups 1 and 2. Patient demographics, history, mesh erosion/extrusion rates, and mesh-related complications were analyzed. Length of follow-up was 1 to 54 months with a median follow-up time of 12 months. No statistically significant differences existed between 2 groups in rates of mesh erosion/extrusion or other mesh-related complications. Overall vaginal mesh erosion/extrusion rate was 1.2% (95% CI 0.5%-2.7%) with an associated mesh revision rate of 1.2% (95% CI 0.5%-2.7%). Patients with concurrent hysterectomy had an erosion/extrusion rate of 2.3% (3/130) as compared with 0.7% (2/272) in patients with a history of hysterectomy, p = .18. No cases of mesh erosion through organs and tissues other than vaginal mucosa were observed. Cuff abscess occurred in 1 patient with concurrent hysterectomy, with an overall infection rate of 0.3% (95% CI 0.01%-1.2%). One more patient developed an inflammatory reaction to the mesh. Excision of exposed mesh was performed in all 5 patients with mesh extrusion. Vaginal approach to excision was uniformly used. Laparoscopic removal of the entire mesh took place in 4 patients with persistent pelvic pain, in 1 patient with cuff abscess, and in one patient with a questionable mesh reaction. An estimated 975 to 17 000 patients were required in each group to achieve power to detect a statistically significant difference in rate of mesh-related complications in this study. CONCLUSION: Risk of mesh extrusion or other mesh-related complications after laparoscopic sacral colpopexy using soft macroporous Y-shaped polypropylene mesh is about 1% in our study. No significant increase in risk of mesh-related complications was observed in patients receiving concurrent hysterectomy when compared with patients who had a previous hysterectomy. The sample size of almost 2000 patients was needed to detect a statistically significant difference in rate of mesh-extrusion in this study.

Posterior repair with perforated porcine dermal graft

OBJECTIVE: To compare postoperative vaginal incision separation and healing in patients undergoing posterior repair with perforated porcine dermal grafts with those that received grafts without perforations. Secondarily, the tensile properties of the perforated and non-perforated grafts were measured and compared. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a non-randomized retrospective cohort analysis of women with stage II or greater rectoceles who underwent posterior repair with perforated and non-perforated porcine dermal grafts (PelvicolTM CR Bard Covington, GA USA). The incidence of postoperative vaginal incision separation (dehiscence) was compared. A secondary analysis to assess graft tensile strength, suture pull out strength, and flexibility after perforation was performed using standard test method TM 0133 and ASTM bending and resistance protocols. RESULTS: Seventeen percent of patients (21/127) who received grafts without perforations developed vaginal incision dehiscence compared to 7 percent (5/71) of patients who received perforated grafts (p = 0.078). Four patients with vaginal incision dehiscence with non-perforated grafts required surgical revision to facilitate healing. Neither tensile strength or suture pull out strength were significantly different between perforated and non-perforated grafts (p = 0.81, p = 0.29, respectively). There was no difference in the flexibility of the two grafts (p = 0.20). CONCLUSION: Perforated porcine dermal grafts retain their tensile properties and are associated with fewer vaginal incision dehiscences.

Posterior vaginal sling experience in elderly patients yields poor results.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate our experience with the posterior vaginal sling in an elderly population. STUDY DESIGN: Elderly patients with significant vaginal prolapse underwent a posterior vaginal sling using the IVS Tunneller device (Tyco Healthcare, United States Surgical, Norwalk, CT). Primary failure was defined as a postoperative pelvic organ prolapse quantitative point C (the apex of the vagina) within 2 cm of the preoperative value. Secondary failure was defined as any portion of the anterior or posterior vaginal walls protruding to or beyond the hymeneal ring (pelvic organ prolapse quantitative points Aa or Ap equal to or greater than 0). RESULTS: Twenty-one patients underwent the procedure; 19 were seen for follow up. The average age was 70 years (range 60-78). Twelve patients had primary or secondary failures (12 of 19, 63%). There were 5 primary failures (5 of 19, 26%) and 7 secondary failures (7 of 19, 37%). The mean time to failure was 7 weeks (range 1-18). CONCLUSION: In our elderly population, the posterior vaginal sling has a high failure rate, occurring early in the postoperative period.

Infected abdominal sacrocolpopexies: diagnosis and treatment.

The abdominal sacrocolpopexy is an excellent procedure to surgically treat vaginal vault prolapse. A synthetic graft is often used to support the vaginal apex, but has the potential to become infected or erode, requiring its removal or revision. The purpose of this paper is to report our experience in the management of patients with infected synthetic grafts after abdominal sacrocolpopexy. A review of the patient databases from three specialty gynecology centers was performed from March 1996 to June 2002. Only patients with an infected graft after an abdominal sacrocolpopexy were included in the study; patients with either suture or graft erosion responding to conservative treatment were excluded. Twenty-two women, ages 37-73 years, developed infection of the synthetic graft after an abdominal sacrocolpopexy (1-60 months after their initial surgery, mean 8.8 months). The infected materials included polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Goretex, n =15) and polypropylene (n=7). Nine of the 15 PTFE meshes and four of the seven polypropylene meshes were placed at the time of a contaminated case (abdominal hysterectomy [n=12], colon resection [n=1]). Eighteen (82%) of the infected grafts involved braided permanent suture to attach the graft to the vaginal wall, monofilament/non-braided permanent suture was used in three patients, and suture type could not be determined in one. All graft removals were attempted vaginally, and this was successful in 16 cases (73%). Two patients experienced significant bleeding: the first patient required an emergency laparotomy and the second patient's bleeding was controlled with packing. A rectovaginal fistula occurred 3 weeks postoperatively in one patient. Synthetic graft infection should be considered as the differential diagnosis in a patient who has undergone an abdominal sacrocolpopexy. Transvaginal removal is preferred, but is fraught with potentially serious complications. The use of braided permanent sutures to affix the graft to the vagina may be associated with mesh infections.