Vaginal Apical Pain After Sacrocolpopexy in Absence of Vaginal Mesh Erosion: A Case Series

• Published in: Female pelvic medicine & reconstructive surgery Vol. 22; no. 1; p. e8
• Main Authors: Buechel, Megan, Tarr, Megan E, Walters, Mark D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Adult; Female; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures - methods; Humans; Middle Aged; Pain, Postoperative - etiology; Pain, Postoperative - surgery; Pelvic Organ Prolapse - surgery; Reoperation; Sacrum - surgery; Surgical Mesh - adverse effects; Vagina - surgery; Vaginal Diseases - etiology; Vaginal Diseases - surgery
• ISSN: 2154-4212
• DOI: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000000218

Sacrocolpopexy is one of the most effective surgeries to correct pelvic organ prolapse. Previous studies have described complications, such as mesh erosion and dyspareunia. However, there are few studies on the development of pelvic pain in the absence of mesh erosion in patients who have undergone sacrocolpopexy. We describe 3 patients who presented with apical vaginal pain in the absence of mesh erosion remote from sacrocolpopexy. All patients were refractory to conservative therapies and underwent abdominal excision of mesh with improvement of symptoms postoperatively. The development of de novo pain in the absence of mesh erosion after sacrocolpopexy is an uncommon event but in our cases required complete excision for relief of symptoms. Further research will be needed to understand if surgical technique or materials may be related to the development of symptoms.