PURPOSE: to evaluate patients who presented post-hysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse and were treated surgically by abdominal sacropexy (ASP) during the period of 1995-2000 at the São Paulo Hospital (EPM-UNIFESP). METHODS: we studied retrospectively 21 patients with post-hysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse with previous correction of cystocele and rectocele. An analysis was made taking into account the average age of the patients, number of parturitions, weight, body mass index (BMI), time between the appearance of the prolapse and the hysterectomy, duration of surgery, blood loss and recurrences. The patients underwent surgery using the abdominal sacropexy technique with or without the interposition of a synthetic prosthesis between the vaginal wall and the sacrum. RESULTS: of the patients attended in our service, 15 used the ASP technique and in one case, due to intra-operational difficulties, the Te Linde correction was used. The average age of the patients was 63.7 (47-95 years), parity of 4.6 and BMI of 26.9. ASP was performed on average 18 years after total abdominal hysterectomy and 3 years after vaginal hysterectomy. The average surgical time was 2 h and 15 min, without the need of a blood transfusion. There were no recurrences of the prolapse or preoperative symptoms (follow-up of 1-5 years). CONCLUSIONS: surgical treatment of the vaginal vault prolapse can be done by vaginal access (colpocleisis or the fixation to the sacrospinal ligament) or abdominal approach (sacropexy). The latter has the advantage of restoring the vaginal axis, preserving its depth, which apart from improving the prolapse, allows the restoration of sexual, intestinal and urinary functions (especially when associated with colpofixation - Burch). When diagnosis and treatment are adequate and the surgical team has complete knowledge of the pelvic anatomy, we can affirm that ASP reaches its objective in the treatment of vaginal vault prolapse with excellent correction and minimum morbidity.
Vaginal vault prolapse; Colposacrofixation; Surgery
