Colpocleisis and tension-free vaginal tape sling for severe uterine and vaginal prolapse and stress urinary incontinence under local anesthesia.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe the technique, complications, and outcomes of vaginal repair of concomitant advanced uterine and vaginal prolapse and stress urinary incontinence using colpocleisis and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) and pubovaginal sling under intravenous sedation and local anesthesia in elderly and/or medically compromised patients.

DESIGN: Retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force classification III).

SETTING: Large tertiary care hospital with university affiliation.

PATIENTS: Thirty consecutive women.

INTERVENTION: Colpocleisis and TVT-pubovaginal sling.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Data were obtained by retrospective chart review of office and surgical records and follow-up physical examinations. All 30 patients had the procedure completed without general anesthesia. Mean estimated blood loss was 56 ml (range 10-150 ml), mean operating time 97.3 minutes (range 65-135 min), and mean hospital stay 1.62 days (range 1-12 days). No intraoperative complications occurred, although one woman experienced a postoperative myocardial infarction. Average follow-up was 19.1 months. Three women required reoperation for minor prolapse (2 posterior repairs, 1 anteroposterior repair) and 94% were cured of stress incontinence.

CONCLUSION: Preliminary data suggest that surgical correction of concomitant severe pelvic organ relaxation and stress urinary incontinence using a proved procedure (pubovaginal sling) coupled with colpocliesis can be performed rapidly and safely with local anesthesia and mild sedation, thus limiting the potential risks of general anesthesia and more invasive surgical procedures.