A COMPARISON BETWEEN SYNTHETIC AND BIOSYNTHETIC MESHES IN THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF SEVERE GENITAL PROLAPSE: RESULTS AND COMPLICATIONS

Abstract

The effectiveness, tolerability and complications of two surgical procedures using prosthetic materials with different physical and structural properties were assessed with a full Urogynecology work-up, through a retrospective study of 158 patients with severe genital prolapse (POP-Q staging III-IV) selected from November 2006 to April 2009. Eighty-six patients underwent fascial replacement surgery with ProliftTM System with a dual transobturator access in the anterior district and a transperineal posterior access with a synthetic polypropylene type I mesh (Group A). Seventy-two patients who underwent pelvic organ prolapse surgery with Avaulta/Avaulta PlusTM System with a dual transobturator access in the anterior district and a dual transperineal posterior access with a biosynthetic polypropylene type I mesh coated with a film of hydrophilic porcine collagen were placed in Group B. There were no intra and postoperative complications. Results of mean 20.8 month follow-up showed an effective anatomical cure rate of 89.5% in group A and 86.1% in group B and a low percentage of erosive complications, 8.1% and 5.6% respectively. Validated questionnaires for prolapse, the UDI 6 s.f., the IIQ7 s.f. and the PISQ-12 all showed a statistically significant improvement of quality of life in patients undergoing the two procedures (Wilcoxon test: P<0.001).