Laparoscopic Sacropexy and Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery Shull Suspension Comparison Trial

The first step consists of a supracervical hysterectomy with morcellation. Anterior and posterior dissection of the vesicovaginal and rectovaginal space. Placing a flexible blade or a Breisky blade in the vagina which is manipulated by the assistant in order to improve exposure of the tissue planes. The retroperitoneum will then be opened from sacral promontory to cervix with the incision just medial to the uterosacral ligament. A low-weight preshaped Y-shaped polypropylene mesh will be secured to the anterior and posterior vagina with four to six separated absorbable 2.0 polyglactin sutures and two nonabsorbable 2.0 prolene sutures can be placed at the level of the remaining cervix. The mesh will be attached to the sacral promontory using two or three nonabsorbable monofilament 2.0 prolene suture. The retroperitoneal space will be closed with continuous 2.0 polyglactin suture or barbed 2.0 absorbable suture material.

Using a cold-bladed scalpel, pericervical colpotomy and subsequent opening of the Douglas and vesico-uterine space is performed. The following step is forcipressure and section of uterosacral ligaments bilaterally with cold blade scissors and ligation in Polysorb 0. A v-PATH® wall retractor is placed, after insertion of three trocars. Total hysterectomy is then performed by standard V-NOTES technique. After transperitoneal visualization of the ureters bilaterally, the peritoneum is incised between the ureters and the uterosacral ligaments, which are thus bilaterally isolated, and three points in polydioxanone 2/0 are placed per side. The v-PATH wall retractor is then removed. Finally the suspension of the vaginal vault at the uterosacral ligaments is made according to Shull technique. Eventual fascial corrections of concomitant anterior or posterior defects will be associated if needed.