Does tension-free vaginal tape placement at the time of total prolift colpopexy affect distal anterior vaginal support?

Objective: : Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence often require concomitant procedures to treat both conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) at the time of total Prolift colpopexy (TPC) affected distal anterior vaginal wall support.

Methods: : This was a retrospective cohort study of women that had TPC (n = 62) between January 2005 and December 2007. All patients had no uterus and underwent TPC with mesh placement in the anterior and posterior vaginal compartments. A concomitant TVT was placed only in those who had a preoperative diagnosis of urodynamic stress urinary incontinence with prolapse reduction. Patients were subdivided into those with (n = 26) and without TVT (n = 36). Data were compared between groups using Student t, Wilcoxon rank sum, and Fisher exact tests (P ≤ 0.05).

Results: : There were no significant differences between groups for all preoperative variables. Patients were observed for 6 to 12 months after TPC. Postoperatively, those with and without TVT had similar anterior POP quantification measurements (points Aa and Ba; P > 0.05), although the group with TVT had significantly more patients with anterior stage 2 and 3 recurrences (23%) when compared with the group without TVT (5%, P = 0.04).

Conclusions: : Tension-free vaginal tape does not provide additional distal anterior vaginal wall support for patients undergoing TPC.