Purpose: Although minimally invasive (robotic or laparoscopic) abdominal sacrocolpopexy (MISC) has become the new gold standard for durable pelvic organ prolapse repair after the vaginal mesh controversy, current literature is limited. Our objective was to study reoperation for mesh complications after MISC.
Materials and methods: All women undergoing MISC in California from January 2012 to December 2018 were identified from Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development data sets using appropriate ICD-9/10 (International Classification of Diseases 9th/10th Revision) and CPT® (Current Procedural Terminology) codes. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to assess associations between patient demographics, surgical details and our primary outcomes: rates of reoperation for a mesh complication.
Results: Of 12,189 women undergoing MISC 8,398 (68.9%) had concomitant hysterectomy. Total hysterectomy (TH) and supracervical hysterectomy (SCH) were performed in 5,027 (41.2%) and 3,371 (27.6%) cases, respectively. Reoperation rates for mesh complications were lower after SCH vs TH (overall: 0.7%, mean followup time 1,111 days vs 3.1%, mean followup time 1,095 days, p <0.001; subcohort with at least 4 years of followup: 2.1% vs 8.9%, p <0.001). Additionally, mesh complication rates were higher even if TH was performed remotely, as compared to concomitant SCH (5.2% vs 0.7%, p <0.001). The increased risk for reoperation due to mesh complications after TH was preserved on multivariable analysis (OR 4.20, 95% CI 2.72‒6.50, p <0.001).
Conclusions: Concomitant TH at time of MISC is associated with a significantly higher rate of mesh complication as compared to SCH. The increased risk of a mesh complication associated with TH is present even if the TH was performed prior to the MISC.
Keywords: pelvic organ prolapse; robotic surgical procedures; surgical mesh; treatment outcome; uterine prolapse.