Surgical repair of pelvic organ prolapse in elderly patients

Abstract

Purpose of review: Epidemiologic data suggests that our population greater than 65 years of age will nearly double. In addition, the incidence of women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse will rise. Chronologic age does not preclude a woman from undergoing a reconstructive procedure, yet the preoperative assessment should be approached most judiciously with great care to insure patient is maximally medically prepared for surgery.

Recent findings: Surgical procedures in this review include: the abdominal sacral colpopexy, anterior repair, posterior repair, sacrospinous ligament fixation, uterosacral suspension, and iliococcygeus fixation. The advent of robotic surgery has decreased the perioperative morbidity of several of these procedures. However, the risk of more severe complications does appear higher following robotic procedures, when compared with vaginal procedures.

Summary: Intuitively, one would surmise that there is a point where vaginal surgery should be considered as the primary procedure based on age, risk and durability of the surgery - unfortunately that age is not clear. Thus, the proper selection of prevalence of organ prolapse surgery can only be done after careful discussion with the patient and including the patient in the selection process as much as possible.