Transvaginal Sacrospinous Colpopexy -A New and Easier Way

• Published in: Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 355 - 357
• Main Authors: Barker, Glen K., Viggers, John C.L., Mason, T., FRACS, G.O. Smith
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.1997
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Colposcopes; Endoscopes; Equipment Design; Female; Humans; Hysterectomy, Vaginal - instrumentation; Ligaments - surgery; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Surgical Instruments; Suture Techniques - instrumentation; Treatment Outcome; Uterine Prolapse - surgery
• ISSN: 0004-8666; 1479-828X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1479-828X.1997.tb02431.x

EDITORIAL COMMENT: We accepted this paper for publication because it provides useful technical details of another method to place a suture in the sacrospinous ligament in the operation of transvaginal sacrospinous colpopexy. Our urogynaecologist reviewer stated that long‐term review of results is essential to judge any such new technique and that postoperative findings at 6 weeks give no indication even of short‐term outcome. Nonetheless we believe many readers will be interested in this paper. Summary: Sacrospinous colpopexy is an operation which is gaining wide acceptance for suspending the vaginal vault in a woman with prolapse who wishes to retain the ability to maintain coitus. However, wider use may be prevented by the technical difficulty of the procedure. This article is a review of 63 cases where the operation was performed using a new ‘ENDO STITCH’ method which offers advantages both in ease (because it avoids the necessity of direct visualization of the ligament), and possibly safety (because it avoids the need for retractors).