Outcomes and patient satisfaction after pelvic organ prolapse surgery with and without mesh: a retrospective cohort study with prospective follow-up.

PURPOSE: This retrospective cohort study with prospective follow-up evaluates patient satisfaction and complication rates following pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery, comparing three surgical approaches: transvaginal native tissue repair, transvaginal mesh repair, and laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy.

METHODS

Long-term satisfaction and postoperative complications of patients who underwent POP surgery between 2014 and 2021 at the University Women's Hospital of Ulm were assessed via structured telephone interviews. Patient satisfaction was evaluated using the validated Freiburg Index of Patient Satisfaction (FIPS) questionnaire.

RESULTS

Of 782 patients with POP surgery, 297 patients with primary surgeries at our clinic were included in the analysis. Patients of all three groups were highly satisfied according to FIPS with no significant difference (p = 0.058). Complication rate also did not differ significantly between the groups except for mesh erosions with 12.9% for transvaginal mesh repair and 2.0% for sacrocolpopexy (p = 0.027). Adverse events as pain, voiding difficulty, overactive bladder (OAB), and recurrence of POP requiring operative treatment had a significant impact on the satisfaction rate of patients.

CONCLUSION

Patients of all three surgical approaches reported high satisfaction following POP surgery. Complication rate did not differ significantly except for mesh erosions. However, mesh erosions did not significantly impact patient satisfaction.

TRAIL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00031971) on 1 June 2023.