Pelvic organ prolapse transvaginal repair by the Prolift system: evaluation of efficacy and complications after a 4.5 years follow up.

OBJECTIVES: The Prolift system is a polypropylene device designed for pelvic organ prolapse repair by a transvaginal approach. Numerous studies have reported on short-term outcomes of this procedure, but long-term studies are lacking.

METHODS: A retrospective study of patients who underwent pelvic organ prolapse repair by Prolift between September 2005 and September 2008 was carried out in two tertiary reference centers by two experienced surgeons. Preoperative and postoperative follow up was based on medical records of baseline and follow-up visits with complete clinical examination, including Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification stage. At last follow up, the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 questionnaire was assessed by telephone interview. Cure was defined as an anatomical success at last follow up, being a Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification stage ≤ 1 without further surgical intervention in any compartment.

RESULTS: A total of 75 patients were included in this analysis with a mean follow up of 53.7 ± 8.8 months (range 36-72 months). Patients were treated with two-arm Prolift posterior, four-arm Prolift anterior and six-arm Prolift total in three (4%), 51 (69%) and 21 (27%) cases, respectively. At last follow up, 64 (85.3%) patients were cured, with no prolapse recurrence. Mesh exposure occurred in four (5.3%) patients. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 symptom score was low at last follow up (median 8, range 3-18), in accordance with objective cure data.

CONCLUSIONS: The Prolift system is safe and efficacious for pelvic organ prolapse repair by transvaginal approach after a 4.5-year follow up.