Objective: To evaluate complications of sacrospinous ligament fixation.
Design: Monocentric retrospective study.
Setting: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, La Conception University Hospital, Marcella.
Patients and methods: Between January 1991 and September 2002, 277 women (mean age 64.9 years, range 37 to 92 years) underwent a sacrospinous ligament fixation; 91% had a menopausal status, and 15.5% used hormone replacement therapy. 33.2% of the patients had prior hysterectomy, 28.9% had a history of surgery for prolapse, and 18.8% had associated symptoms of stress urinary incontinence. In all cases, sacrospinous ligament fixation was performed under visual control using conventional stitch. Sacrospinous ligament fixation was combined with the following procedures: anterior vaginal repair (N =137), additional incontinence surgery (N =31), vaginal hysterectomy (N =137), levator myorraphy (N =203).
Main outcome measures: Intraoperative complications, postoperative complications, long-term painful symptoms.
Results: Intraoperative complications were represented by 1 case of vascular wound and four rectal injuries. Main postoperative complications were vaginal haematomas (N =6) and abscesses (N =2). Long-term symptoms were perineal pain, sciatic neuralgia, and dyspareunia.
Discussion and conclusion: There was no surgical mortality, and we noted low rates of major complications. Sacrospinous ligament fixation assumes high priority in our therapeutic regimen.