Transvaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery for Uterosacral Ligament Suspension: a Pilot Study of 35 Caseswith Severe Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Abstract Background To describe the short-term outcomes of transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) for uterosacral ligament suspension (USLS) in patients with severe prolapse.Methods This is a retrospective study conducted for patients with severe prolapsed (≥stage 3) who underwent vNOTES USLS between May 2019 and July 2020. The Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) score, Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire short form (PISQ-12) and Pelvic Floor Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) were used to evaluate physical prolapse and quality of life before and after vNOTES USLS.Results A total of 35 patients were included. The mean operative time was 111.7±39.4 minutes. The mean blood loss was 67.9±35.8 ml. Statistically significant differences were observed before and after vNOTES USLS in regard to Aa (+0.6±1.7 versus −2.9±0.2), Ba (+1.9±2.2 versus −2.9±0.3), C (+1.5±2.2 versus -6.9±0.9), Ap (-1.4±1.0 versus −3.0±0.1) and Bp (-1.1±1.4 versus −2.9±0.1) (P < 0.05 for all). The mean pre- and post-operative PFDI-20 score was 19.9±6.7 versus 3.2±5.4, and the PISQ-12 score was 24.8±2.3 versus 38.3±4.1 (P < 0.05 for both). During 1–13 months of follow-up, no severe complications or recurrence.Conclusions vNOTES USLS may be a feasible technique to manage severe prolapse, with promising short-term efficacy and safety data. However, a study with a larger number of patients and a longer follow-up period should be conducted.