Purpose: To investigate the effect of total pelvic floor reconstruction with a six-arm mesh in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse.
Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective observational cohort study. A total of 368 patients with pelvic organ prolapse underwent pelvic floor reconstruction surgery. Patients were categorized by the type of surgical mesh: 176 patients received a six-arm mesh and 192 patients received an anteroposterior approach mesh. The 1-year effect of the two groups was compared. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory Questionnaire (PFDI-20), Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventory (CRADI-8) and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantitation (POP-Q) staging were used for evaluation. The incidence of complications was recorded. A cure standard was registered by a POP-Q score of grade I or below. A P value < 0.05 indicates the difference is statistically significant.
Results: There was no recurrence documented in the patients; the cure rate was 100% in both groups. After surgery, the length of the vagina in the six-arm mesh group was longer than that of the control group at 6 months and 12 months, respectively (P < 0.05). The six-arm mesh group had lower PFDI-20 and CRADI-8 scores after surgery than those of the control group at 6 and 12 months, respectively (P < 0.05). Pelvic floor and rectal dysfunction symptom improvement were superior in the six-arm mesh group compared with the control group. After surgery, the Female Sexual Function Inventory (FSFI) score of the six-arm mesh group was superior to that of the control group at 6 and 12 months, respectively (P < 0.05). The incidence of complications in the six-arm mesh group was lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The total pelvic floor reconstruction using six-arm mesh has the same healing rate as anteroposterior approach mesh surgery, and it is better than traditional surgery in improving subjective symptoms and reducing postoperative complications.
Keywords: pelvic floor reconstruction, pelvic organ prolapse, six-arm mesh