Recurrence of stress incontinence after vault suspension: can it be prevented?

Management of vault prolapse in a patient who has previously undergone successful colposuspension has not been considered in the literature. The two cases presented highlight the risk of incontinence and illustrate measures that should help to reduce it. The approach aims to reveal potential stress incontinence and to prevent excessive stretching of the upper anterior vaginal wall during surgical correction. Potential stress incontinence is revealed by a cough stress test while reducing the prolapse without a speculum, a 'pessary test' for a few days, and urodynamics both with and without a pessary. Patients with potential incontinence undergo perineal ultrasound to assess bladder neck position. If sacrospinous fixation is used, epidural anesthesia is recommended so as to allow the patient to cough during the procedure to ensure accurate suture placement. When sacrocolpopexy is done, preoperative assessment of the degree of 'safe elevation' ensures accurate suture placement.