Abdominal approaches to pelvic prolapse repairs

Abdominal sacrocolpopexy has been considered the gold standard for vaginal vault prolapse repair for several decades. Although transvaginal approaches gained popularity as minimally invasive alternatives, complications related to the use of vaginal mesh have led surgeons to perform these repairs less frequently. By incorporating laparoscopic and robotic techniques into the traditional open abdominal sacrocolpopexy, surgeons can offer the benefits of minimally invasive surgery while avoiding risks of vaginal mesh. This review article aims to evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of abdominal sacrocolpopexy by comparing open, laparoscopic, and robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery.

The excellent outcomes of open abdominal sacrocolpopexy have repeatedly been shown in published, randomized data. This has been further validated in minimally invasive techniques through randomized data evaluating the outcomes of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. Among the various sacrocolpopexy techniques, outcomes are similar among the open, laparoscopic, and robotic approaches. Minimally invasive surgeries have been shown to have advantages in terms of perioperative morbidity.

The superior outcomes of abdominal sacrocolpopexy are available using minimally invasive techniques for pelvic organ prolapse repair. Further research with randomized data is required to establish how these approaches compare to each other. Given the inherent advantages of minimally invasive surgery, robotic or laparoscopic abdominal sacrocolpopexy may become the preferred approach to abdominal pelvic organ prolapse repair.