Importance of vaginal packing after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy – retrospective study

Abstract

Objective: To compare the subjective and objective results of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) with and without the introduction of a vaginal packing one year after surgery.

Methodology: This is a retrospective cohort study of 125 women after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy operated on in 2013–2016 with complete annual follow-up. Patients with a total hysterectomy were excluded from the study. Basic patient characteristics, preoperative POP-Q and surgery data were collected. The subjective outcome of the surgery was assessed using the PGI-I (patient global impression of improvement). The anatomic outcome of the surgery was evaluated using the composite definition of surgical failure
based on POP-Q (Ba ≥ –1, C ≥ –3, Bp ≥ –1). Patients were divided into two groups according to whether or not they had vaginal packing after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed using χ2, Wilcoxon and Fischer test according to the distribution of normality.

Results: A total of
125 women were enrolled in the study; 48 (38.4%) after LSC, 58 (46.4%) with concomitant supracervical hysterectomy and 19 (15.2%) after sacrohysterocolpopexy. Vaginal packing was introduced for 24–48 hours after surgery in 86 (68.8%) women. The groups did not differ in age, body mass index, smoking or preoperative pelvic organ prolapse quantification system. We did not observe statistically significant differences in PGI-I first year after surgery. The difference in anatomic surgical failure did not reach statistical significance, although more failures were observed in the group without packing (12.8 vs. 3.5%; P = 0.09). The mean C-point value one year after surgery was lower in the non-tamponade group (–7 vs. –7.5; P < 0.009). No mesh extrusion or serious complications were recorded in the monitored group.

Conclusion: Vaginal packing after LSC probably does not aff ect patient satisfaction after surgery, however, it may be associated with better anatomical outcome one year after the surgery. The results of the study must be confi rmed by a more detailed prospective evaluation.