Improvement of Cell Growth of Uterosacral Ligament Fibroblast Derived from Pelvic Organ Prolapse Patients by Cold Atmospheric Plasma Treated Liquid

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a chronic disorder that affects quality of life in women. Several POP treatments may be accompanied by abrasion, constant infection, and severe pain. Therefore, new treatment methods and improvements in current treatments for POP are required. Non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma is a rising biomedical therapy that generates a mixed cocktail of reactive species by different mechanisms. In this study, we applied a cylinder-type dielectric barrier discharge plasma device to create a plasma-treated liquid (PTL). The PTL was added to primary cultured human uterosacral ligament fibroblast (hUSLF) cells from POP patients at each stage. Surprisingly, treatment with diluted PTL increased hUSLF cell viability but decreased ovarian cancer cell viability. PTL also decreased cell apoptosis in hUSLF cells but increased it in SKOV3 cells. Our results suggest that PTL protects hUSLF cells from cell apoptosis by controlling the p53 pathway and improves cell viability, implying that PTL is a promising application for POP therapy.

Case Report of a Rare Nonpuerperal Uterine Inversion Managed with Uterosacral Ligament Hysteropexy

Nonpuerperal uterine inversions are rare. Typically occurring in older women, they are most commonly due to transcervical mass expulsion. Diagnosis is often difficult because of vague symptomatology, presentation, and unknown course of the pathology. Surgical correction is often necessary in the presence of active bleeding or prolapse severity causing urinary retention. This case of nonpuerperal inversion presented to the emergency department with vaginal bleeding and mass protrusion. The examination was consistent with POPQ stage IV prolapse and uterine inversion secondary to cervical expulsion of multiple uterine fibroids. Because of full cervical dilation and concerns of ureteral injury with an extirpative procedure, vaginal myomectomy was performed with concomitant robotic uterosacral ligament hysteropexy. The operative procedure and postoperative course were uncomplicated, and discharge occurred on post-op day 1. She remained asymptomatic at the 6-month follow-up encounter. Though uterine preservation has been performed in cases of uterine inversion to maintain fertility, there are no reported cases of concomitant hysteropexy being completed for correction of POPQ stage IV prolapse simultaneously encountered. Additionally, the novel robotic approach has not been documented. This case illustrates the short-term success of robotic uterosacral hysteropexy as an additional option of care with potentially less morbidity when compared to hysterectomy for advanced stage uterine prolapse with nonpuerperal uterine inversion.

Laparoscopic uterosacral ligament suspension versus sacrospinous ligament fixation for apical prolapse: perioperative outcomes

Background Pelvic organ prolapse can be repaired vaginally or laparoscopically. Studies comparing vaginal repair with sacrospinous ligament fixation (SSLF) or uterosacral ligament suspension (V-USLS) have found no difference in functional or adverse outcomes. Laparoscopic USLS (L-USLS) is becoming a popular treatment for pelvic organ prolapse because it has a low rate of ureteral compromise. To date, no studies have compared perioperative outcomes between L-USLS and SSLF. The objective of this study is to compare the rates of perioperative complications between these two methods. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of 243 consecutive patients who underwent L-USLS or SSLF at one institution between March 2017 and August 2019 for apical pelvic organ prolapse. Descriptive data was analyzed as appropriate with Student’s t tests and chi-square. Univariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess predictors of perioperative complications. Results Preoperative Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification Stage (POP-Q) was similar between the two cohorts (p = 0.23). After adjusting for confounding factors, L-USLS was associated with a longer operative time (118 vs 142 min, p < 0.01) and shorter length of hospitalization (0.68 vs 1.06 days, p < 0.01). The estimated blood loss between the procedures was not statistically significant after adjusting for confounding factors. There was no difference in perioperative complication rates between L-USLS and SSLF (5% vs 7%, p = 0.55). No clinical risk factors were significantly associated with perioperative complications. Conclusion We did not find a difference in complications between L-USLS and SSLF.