Consensus statement of the Spanish Association Of Urology on the use of meshes in pelvic organ prolapse. / Consenso de la Asociación Española de Urología sobre el uso de mallas en la cirugía del prolapso de órganos pélvicos.

INTRODUCTION: Recently the Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of transvaginal meshes for the surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in the United States. This has caused a worldwide impact on the management of pelvic floor pathology by different specialists. OBJECTIVE: To achieve a consensus on the use of meshes in the surgical treatment of POPs. ACQUISITION OF DATA/EVIDENCE: A Committee of experts of the Spanish Association of Urology (AEU) was organized to review the literature and analyze the safety and efficacy of the use of polypropylene meshes in POP surgery. RESULTS/EVIDENCE FROM THE LITERATURE: The evidence reflects that the use of meshes, compared to the use of native tissues, offers better efficacy at the expense of new complications and a higher rate of surgical reviews, these being minor in the hands of expert surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: POP surgery must be performed by experienced surgeons, properly trained and in referral centers. The patient should receive correct information about the different treatment options. Transvaginal meshes should only be indicated in complex cases and in recurrences after POP surgery. AEU PROPOSAL: Creation of a clinical guideline and a national registry for long-term evaluation. Preparation of an Informed Consent available to all professionals and patients, as well as a specific training plan to achieve better training in complex pelvic floor surgery.

Experiencia en el tratamiento del prolapso de órganos pélvicos con mallas vaginales en el Hospital Universitario de Caracas

Objetivo: Describir la experiencia en el tratamiento del prolapso de órganos pélvicos con materiales protésicos en la Unidad de Patología de Piso Pélvico del Hospital Universitario de Caracas. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo, descriptivo. Se incluyeron pacientes con diagnóstico de prolapso, intervenidas con mallas transvaginales entre enero de 2010 y diciembre de 2011, con seguimiento durante 12 meses (N = 49). Resultados: La edad promedio fue 57 ± 5 años. El índice de masa corporal promedio fue 27 kg/m². El 50,9 % de los prolapsos fueron grado II, 37,7 % grado III y 9,4 % grado IV. De los grados II, el 90 % fueron anteriores el 7 % posteriores y 3 % apicales. De los grados III el 58 % fueron anteriores, 37 % apicales y 5 % posteriores. Se observó 66,8 % de complicaciones. La complicación más frecuente fue la extrusión (25 %), seguido de la dispareunia y el acortamiento vaginal mayor de 1 cm, (10,4 % en ambos). Se presentó 6,3 % de urgencia de novo y 4,2 % de incontinencia urinaria de esfuerzo de novo. El hematoma, la obstrucción infravesical y la fístula vesico-vaginal se presentaron en 2,1 % de los casos. La cura objetiva fue de 95,7 % al año de seguimiento. Se observó 4,3 % de recidiva y 12,5 % de prolapso de novo. Conclusión: Las mallas vaginales representan una alternativa quirúrgica segura y eficiente para la corrección del prolapso genital. Las complicaciones son frecuentes, pero de poca gravedad. Sin embargo, la alta incidencia de erosiones puede afectar la calidad de vida de las pacientes. Palabras clave: Prolapso de órganos pélvicos. Mallas transvaginales. Erosión vaginal.

Objective: To describe the experience of pelvic organ prolapse treatment with transvaginal mesh in the Pelvic Floor Pathology Unit at the Hospital Universitario de Caracas. Methods: Retrospective and descriptive study. We included patients with pelvic organ prolapse treated with transvagynal mesh between January 2010 and December 2011, and with a follow up of 12 months (N=49). Results: The mean age was 57 ± 5 years, and the mean body mass index was 27 kg/m². A 50,9 % of pelvic organ prolapse were grade II, 37,7 % were grade III, and 9,4 % were grade IV. Among grade II prolapse, 90 % were anterior, 7 % posterior and 3 % apical. Among grade III prolapse, 58 % were anterior, 37.% posterior and 5 % apical. Complications were observed in 66,8 % of the cases. The most common complication was vaginal erosion (25 %), followed by dyspareunia and vaginal shortening (10,4 % both of them). The novo urgency was observed in 6,3 % of the cases, and de novo urinary stress incontinence in 4,2.%. Hematoma, vesicovaginal fistula, and voiding dysfunction were observed in 2,1 %. The objective cure was 95,7 % at 1 year of follow-up. A 4,3 % of recurrence and 12,5 % of de novo prolapse were observed. Conclusion: Vaginal meshes are a safe and effective alternative in pelvic organ prolapse treatment. Complications are frequent, but most of them are mild. However, the high incidence of vaginal erosion can affect the quality of life of most patients.