Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery

Learn About Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair and Understand Your Options
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24142054

You Deserve Special Care

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the muscles and connective tissues supporting the uterus, bladder, or rectum become weakened, allowing these organs to shift downward from their normal positions. Common symptoms may include a sensation of pressure or fullness in the pelvis, a visible or felt bulge in the vaginal area, tissue protruding from the vagina, and urinary incontinence.¹

This condition is more common than many expect—while only 3–6% of women report symptoms, vaginal exams show that up to 50% may have some degree of prolapse.²

To diagnose pelvic organ prolapse, your doctor may review your medical history and perform a vaginal and rectal examination. This may be done while you’re lying down, standing, or both. You might be asked to cough during the exam to check for urine leakage, and tests may be done to determine how completely your bladder empties.³

Understanding Your Options

If diagnosed with pelvic organ prolapse, treatment may begin with conservative approaches such as watchful waiting, lifestyle changes, pelvic floor muscle exercises, or use of a removable vaginal support device called a pessary.¹

If symptoms persist and conservative treatments are not effective, surgery may be recommended. There are two main surgical options:

• Obliterative Surgery: Involves narrowing or closing off the vagina to support prolapsed organs. This is typically recommended for women who are no longer sexually active.
• Reconstructive Surgery: Aims to reposition the organs and may involve surgical mesh to maintain support and prevent future prolapse.

Pelvic organ prolapse repair can be performed via traditional open surgery, which involves a large abdominal incision, or via minimally invasive approaches:

• Vaginal Surgery: Performed entirely through the vagina without any abdominal incisions.
• Laparoscopic Surgery: Uses long instruments inserted through small abdominal incisions, guided by a camera and video monitor.
• Robotic-Assisted Surgery: Often performed with the da Vinci® surgical system, combining laparoscopic precision with robotic technology.

How da Vinci Works

Surgeons can use the da Vinci system to perform sacrocolpopexy, a type of pelvic organ prolapse repair. During robotic-assisted surgery, your surgeon sits at a console and operates using miniaturized instruments that mimic their hand movements with a full range of motion.

A high-definition, 3D camera gives the surgeon a magnified view of the surgical area, allowing for precise movements and enhanced control.

Please remember that Intuitive does not provide medical advice. You and your doctor should decide whether da Vinci surgery is right for your situation. Always ask your surgeon about their training, experience, and patient outcomes.

Why Surgery with da Vinci?

A review of published studies suggests that pelvic organ prolapse repair (sacrocolpopexy) using da Vinci technology may offer several benefits:

• Fewer complications compared to open surgery^4,5, and similar complication rates compared to laparoscopic surgery.^4,5,7,8
• Shorter hospital stays than open surgery⁴, and similar or slightly shorter stays than laparoscopic surgery.^4,5,8,9
• Smaller incisions, which may result in less visible scarring compared to open procedures.

Questions You Can Ask Your Doctor

• What treatment options are available for my pelvic organ prolapse?
• What are the risks if I choose not to have surgery?
• How do open, vaginal, laparoscopic, and robotic-assisted surgeries differ?
• Can you tell me about your experience and outcomes using the da Vinci system?
• What should I expect during recovery?