Effect of suture selection on the rate of suture or mesh erosion and surgery failure in abdominal sacrocolpopexy.

Objective: : To determine if suture type used for mesh attachment in abdominal sacrocolpopexy increases the rate of erosion/infection.

Methods: : Two groups were temporally divided from June 1996 to May 2001 where braided permanent sutures (2-0 Ethibond, Ethicon, Somerville, New Jersey) were exclusively used for graft placement (n = 161) and from August 2001 to May 2006 where exclusively monofilament delayed absorbable (2-0 PDS, Ethicon) was used (n = 254). Data were analyzed for demographics, medical history, presenting/postoperative physical examination, concomitant surgeries, and complications.

Results: : Mesh/suture exposure rate was 3.7% (6/161) with Ethibond. There were no erosions with PDS (P = 0.002). Colpopexy failure was 1.7% (2/116) with Ethibond and 0% (0/235) with PDS (P = 0.11).

Conclusions: : Delayed absorbable, monofilament suture appears to reduce the risk of graft/suture erosion without increasing surgical failure.