Association Between Enlarged Genital Hiatus and Composite Surgical Failure After Vaginal Hysterectomy With Uterosacral Ligament Suspension

Commonly performed at the time of total vaginal hysterectomy to combat uterovaginal prolapse, uterosacral ligament suspension and sacrospinous ligament fixation are native tissue apical suspensions. Because recurrent pelvic organ prolapse increases over time after apical suspensions, nonmodifiable and modifiable risk factors have been explored. It is suggested by numerous studies that 1 risk factor for recurrent prolapse is an enlarged preoperative and postoperative genital hiatus (GH). An enlarged GH may be indicative of a caudal shift in pelvic viscera, increasing stress on vaginal supports. However, short-term follow-up, retrospective design, and lack of patient perspectives on prolapse outcomes limited the overall impact of those findings. The SUPeR trial (Study of Uterine Prolapse Procedures-Randomized) compared vaginal mesh hysteropexy with vaginal hysterectomy with uterosacral ligament suspension in a randomized trial design with long-term follow-up postoperatively. Postoperative assessments included the patient’s assessment of prolapse symptoms.

Source: Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey - August 1, 2023 Category: OBGYN Tags: GYNECOLOGY: UROGYNECOLOGY Source Type: research