Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) happens when the pelvic organs such as the bladder, urethra, uterus,and rectum are displaced due to the weakening of the connective tissues that support the walls of the vagina. The most usual among the different types of prolapse are: bladder prolapse, urethrocele (prolapse of the urethra), uterine proplase, and rectocele (prolapse of the rectum). Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) is known as the uncontrollable leaking of urine from the bladder in involuntarily induced movements like coughing or sneezing. This is caused by the weakening of the muscles of the pelvis. Both POP and SUI occur mostly to adult women whose vaginal walls have been stretched and weakened like in cases of parity, hysterectomy, and menopause. These two medical conditions: POP and SUI mostly develop in adult women who have had menopause, hysterectomy procedures, and even childbirth.
How do physicians perform this operation? How is this surgical procedure carried out? Firstly, an incision is made to gain access inside the vagina, and then the tissues that support the vaginal wall will be strengthened with stitches. A vaginal mesh is then inserted firmly under the vaginal skin and stitched intact. Designed with many holes, this medical device allows the body tissues to easily grow into it 3 to 4 weeks later. The incision made to the vagina earlier is then stitched back to close. An additional stitch at the top of the vagina or the cervix (sacrospinous stitch) may be required by some doctors for stronger support. This stitch, however, can cause an uncomfortable feeling in the buttocks that could stay for 3 months. A urinary catheter and a material pack are lodged in position at the end of the surgery; these two can then be removed after one or two days.
Deadly complications associated with this surgery are most likely to happen, so careful observations should be done during the surgery and the recovery phase. In the past years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is continuously overwhelmed with an increasing number of complaints about vaginal mesh products. The most common reported complications are: mesh erosion, bleeding, infection, recurrence of prolapse, urinary problems, and pelvic organ perforations. These symptoms are tricky since they begin as mild symptoms and then advances to more serious complications. Some of these complications are impossible to treat, and some have caused deaths to a few recipients. In fact, because of these deadly complications thousands of lawsuits were filed by many recipients against mesh manufacturers all over the United States recently.
If you are one of those women considering vaginal mesh surgery for the management of POP or SUI, or if you know someone who is planning to receive this treatment, ask your doctor detailed information about your surgery, most importantly about the possible complications this procedure may bring about.
