This is a prospective randomized controlled study, designed to compare efficacy and safety of two methods of apical fixation in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) - sacrospinous hysteropexy (SSHP) with synthetic mesh and laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy (LSHP), and the impact of the surgery on quality of life.
BACKGROUND POP remains a widespread condition, that significantly affects patients' quality of life. The estimated incidence of POP in women varies from 10% in young age to 40% after menopause. Apical defect is the least frequent of all types of POP and occurs in 5-15% of patients, however apical support is crucial to maintaining normal anatomy of the pelvic floor. Although the uterus itself is not the cause of POP, hysterectomy is the most common surgery for POP. However there is a growing interest in uterine-sparing surgical techniques because a lot of women express a desire to preserve uterus. There are various techniques for uterine-sparing apical repair, including abdominal (laparoscopic or robotic) and vaginal apical fixation. SSHP is the most studied method of apical fixation and was originally performed with sutures. The use of transvaginal mesh for SSHP is discussable in conjunction with numerous reports of complications and wariness towards synthetic materials use. Some authors though reported of comparable effectiveness and high safety of SSHP using mesh. Due to the lack of the reliable evidence, to date there are no consensus about optimal method of hysteropexy, as LSHP is not without its drawbacks and complications. PREOPERATIVE ASSESSMENT All patients who meet eligibility criteria will undergo a preoperative assessment: medical history, physical and vaginal examination, assessing pelvic organ prolapse according to Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification System (POP-Q). All patients will complete questionnaires validated in Russia: Pelvic Floor Disability Index (PFDI-20), Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire, short form (PISQ-SF), Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I). MATERIALS AND METHODS The investigators hypothesis is that SSHP is non-inferior to LSHP in terms of recurrence rate and complications. The sample size was calculated assuming an objective cure rate of 92% as described in literature. With a power of 80%, a level of 0,05 and the non-inferiority margin at 15%, the sample size is 92 patients. The investigators assume a drop-out rate of 10%, thus a total of 102 participants will be included in the study. All enrolled patients will be randomly assigned to SSHP or LSHP treatment groups in equal ratio the day before the surgery, using computer randomization. All data will be collected by medical staff not involved in treatment. Collected pre- and postoperative data will be anonymized using unique codes, that patients will receive immediately after randomization. All surgical interventions will be performed by 3 qualified surgeons. Postoperative follow-up will be performed 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery by 2 researchers, who will be blinded about the type of intervention.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
110
Sacrospinous hysteropexy using the synthetic mesh
Laparoscopic Sacrohysteropexy
Saint-Petersburg State University Hospital
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Objective cure rate
The patient is considered cured if there is no prolapse beyond the hymen and the cervix is above -1 cm according to POP-Q (0-1 stage)
Time frame: 24 months (2 years)
Satisfaction with the surgery
Measured through the Patient Global Impression of Improvement questionnaire (PGI-I), validated in Russia. The patient marks the number that best describes her post-operative condition, compared with how it was before surgery. The score ranges from 1 (very much better) to 7 (very much worse).
Time frame: Measured postoperatively at intervals of 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively
The impact of treatment on sexual function
Measured through the scoring of Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12) validated in Russia. The scale evaluates sexual function in patients with urinary incontinence and/or POP. The responses are graded on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (always) to 4 (never). Items 1 - 4 are reversely scored and a total of 48 is the maximum score. The higher scores indicate better sexual function.
Time frame: Measured postoperatively at intervals of 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively
The impact of treatment on the quality of life
Measured through the Pelvic Floor Disability Index (PFDI-20), validated in Russia. The item includes 20 questions. The score ranges from 0 to 300. The higher the score, the worse the outcome.
Time frame: Measured postoperatively at intervals of 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively
Observed complications
Presence of any adverse effects such as: bleeding requiring blood transfusion, haematoma, organ perforation, nerve injury, vaginal scarring and shortening, wound infection, urinary tract infection, pelvic pain, mesh extrusion in the vagina, mesh erosion into the urinary tract, dyspareunia de novo, de novo urgency, atonic bladder, de novo stress urinary incontinence
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Time frame: Measured postoperatively at intervals of 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively