Outcome of sacrospinous ligament fixation with conventional instruments in the treatment of Stage 3-4 vaginal vault prolapse

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the sacrospinous ligament fixation (SSLF) at 12 months following the operation.

Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with vaginal vault prolapse and underwent SSLF between January 2014 and May 2017. The subjective evaluation was performed according to the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I). The objective success rate at the end of 12 months was evaluated, and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse-Quantification System (POP-Q) Stage 0 or 1 was considered as a successful outcome. The effectiveness of the operation and the complication rates were evaluated during one-year follow-up.

Results: A total of 26 patients were included in the study. Twelve patients (46.2%) underwent unilateral SSLF and 14 patients (53.8%) bilateral SSLF operation. At 12 months, the objective and subjective success rates were 100% and 100%, respectively. There was a significant difference between the unilateral and bilateral SSLF groups in terms of the operation time and intraoperative bleeding. After one-year follow-up, only three patients (11.3%) complained about mild gluteal pain.

Conclusion: The suspension of the vagina to the unilateral or bilateral sacrospinous ligament was an effective and safe surgical method in patients with post-hysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse.