Anterior bilateral sacrospinous ligament fixation with concomitant anterior native tissue repair: a pilot study.

introduction and hypothesisAnterior bilateral sacrospinous ligament fixation (ABSSLF) was first described in 2000 but only evaluated in a limited number of studies. However, due to the FDA's ban on transvaginal mesh, interest in this technique has re-emerged. The SSLF procedure is known for its inherent high risk for anterior compartment failure; hence, in our center we started performing a preemptive concomitant anterior repair with the intention to reduce such risk. The aim of this study was to review the feasibility and clinical outcomes of this innovative technique.

methodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study of all the women who had an ABSSLF and a concomitant anterior native tissue repair between May 2019 and July 2020 in a tertiary hospital in France. Our primary endpoint was surgical feasibility, while as secondary endpoints we wanted to explore the perioperative morbidities and clinical outcomes associated with this technique.

resultsA total of 50 women were operated on in the studied period. The median follow-up time was 10 [8.5] months. It was feasible to perform the combined ABSSLF and concomitant anterior native tissue repair in all cases. The most frequent perioperative complications reported were urinary tract infection (14%) and difficulty in resuming voiding (16%). Anatomical and functional results were improved. The rate of anterior compartment recurrence was 37%.

conclusionsABSSLF with a concomitant anterior native tissue repair is feasible and relatively safe for treating anterior and apical pelvic prolapse. However, anterior compartment failure rate is still a limitation. Further larger studies with long-term anatomical and functional results comparing this technique to alternative transvaginal surgical approaches are needed.