Lightweight transvaginal mesh is associated with lower mesh exposure rates than heavyweight mesh

Trends in Urogynecology-Transvaginal Mesh Surgery in Germany

BACKGROUND

Pelvic organ prolapse constitutes a prevalent condition associated with a considerable impact on the quality of life. The utilization of transvaginal mesh surgery for managing POP has been a subject of extensive debate. Globally, trends in TVM surgery experienced significant shifts subsequent to warnings issued by the FDA.

METHODS

This study aims to explore temporal patterns in transvaginal mesh surgery in the German healthcare system. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on in-patient data from the German Federal Statistical Office spanning 2006 to 2021. A total of 1,150,811 operations, each associated with specific codes, were incorporated into the study. Linear regression analysis was employed to delineate discernible trends.

RESULTS

The trends in transvaginal mesh surgery within the anterior compartment exhibited relative stability (p = 0.147); however, a significant decline was noted in all other compartments (posterior: p < 0.001, enterocele surgery: p < 0.001). A subtle increasing trend was observed for uterine-preserving transvaginal mesh surgery (p = 0.045).

CONCLUSION

Surgical trends over the specified timeframe demonstrate how POP management has evolved globally. Notably, despite observed fluctuations, transvaginal mesh surgery remains a viable option, particularly for specific cases with a high risk of relapse and contraindications to alternative surgical approaches.

Subjective outcomes 12 years after transvaginal mesh versus native tissue repair in women with recurrent pelvic organ prolapse; a randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

The present study describes an extended follow-up study after 12 years and focusses on subjective outcomes of women who underwent surgery for recurrent pelvic organ prolapse in the randomized index study.

METHODS

One hundred and ninety-four (194) women had been randomized in the original study and in the present study, 45 (47%) in the vaginal mesh repair versus 43 (43%) women with conventional vaginal native tissue repair completed the long-term questionnaires. The mesh used was a first-generation non-absorbable mesh kit. All types of conventional vaginal native tissue repairs were allowed, and additional vaginal native tissue repairs were allowed in the mesh group. The questionnaires as applied at baseline were used. The Patient Global Impression of Improvement questionnaire (PGI-I) was the primary outcome.

RESULTS

At 12 years, 30 (71%) women in the mesh group versus 23 (59%) women in the native tissue repair group reported to be PGI-I (very) much improved (p=0.24). There were no differences found in any of the questionnaire domains. There was, however, a higher number of women who had had additional operations for recurrent pelvic organ prolapse, stress urinary incontinence, and/or exposure in the mesh group: 18 women (40%) in the mesh group versus 8 women (19%) in the native tissue repair group (p=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

There was no difference in subjective outcome between the groups, but there was a statistically significant higher number of women who had needed further operations. This study confirms that vaginal mesh should not be used in all women with recurrent pelvic organ prolapse.

Update in Transvaginal Grafts: The Role of Lightweight Meshes, Biologics, and Hybrid Grafts in Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery

Transvaginal mesh/grafts have been popularized over the past 20 years in an attempt to improve the longevity of traditional vaginal pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery. Several national bodies have concluded that the proposed benefits of mesh/graft implantation are outweighed by the significant increase in surgery complications related to these products. As a consequence mesh products for vaginal POP surgery have been withdrawn from use in many countries. This article is a narrative review of newer mesh and graft products including lightweight polypropylene mesh products, biological grafts, hybrid grafts, and tissue engineered grafts.

Mesh-augmented transvaginal repair of recurrent or complex anterior pelvic organ prolapse in accordance with the SCENIHR opinion

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

To evaluate the performance of mesh-augmented repair of anterior pelvic organ prolapse (POP) with or without apical vaginal wall involvement in women with recurrent or complex prolapse.

METHODS

This multicenter cohort study included women undergoing surgery with Calistar S (Promedon, Argentina) for anterior POP between 2016 and 2018. The SCENIHR opinion was considered for patient selection, surgeon's experience and choice of implant. Patients were prospectively invited to assess effectiveness and safety by anamnesis, validated questionnaires and pelvic examination. A composite endpoint defined by POP-Q ≤ 1, absence of a vaginal bulge symptom and repeated surgery for POP was used to define treatment success. Descriptive statistics were applied. McNemar or Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used as paired samples tests. The significance level was set at 5%.

RESULTS

A total of 107 non-fertile women with a mean age of 70.6 years were enrolled. Ninety-three (86.9%) women presented with recurrent prolapse. The mean follow-up time was 18.5 months. Treatment success was achieved in 76% of cases according the composite endpoint, with 98% reaching POP-Q ≤ 1 and a significant improvement in quality of life (p < 0.001). Mesh exposure occurred in six (5.6%) patients, although none required further surgery. Four (3.7%) patients reported dyspareunia, and a single (0.9%) patient displayed a prominence due to mesh folding.

CONCLUSIONS

Mesh-augmented repair of anterior POP is effective and safe in women with recurrent or complex prolapse. Hence, in a select patient population, the benefits of mesh-augmented POP repair still outweigh the risks.

The efficacy and complications of using transvaginal mesh to treat pelvic organ prolapse in Taiwan: A 10-year review

Transvaginal mesh (TVM) insertion for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is significantly associated with lower failure rates, although its use remains controversial due to the potential risk of mesh-related complications. In this review, we collected the published literature regarding the use of TVM to treat POP in an attempt to assess both the efficacy and complications related to TVM usage in Taiwan. We searched 25 English language articles using PubMed related to TVM in Taiwan from 2010 to 2019. The present article focuses on the efficacy and complications of TVM and analyzes the data. There were 25 studies on TVM selected for this review. Regarding their success rate, 21 out of the 22 studies (95.5%) had more than a 90% objective success rate. Twenty studies (90.9%) had less than 10% major complications of TVM. Twenty out of the 25 studies (80.0%) had 5% or less mesh exposure. For self-cut TVM and the later single-incision TVM, both the complication rates and exposure rates decreased. The rate of de novo dyspareunia ranged from 2.6% to 14.3%, and the incidence decreased yearly from 2011 to 2019. This review showed both the high treatment efficacy and low complication rate of TVM usage for the short-term treatment of POP in Taiwan. However, a longer-term study is needed to draw a conclusion regarding the safety of this treatment.