Surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse in a high-volume resource-limited setting

To describe the care pathway of patients with pelvic organ prolapse in a high-volume resource-limited setting and characterize patients undergoing surgery.

The patient care pathway at a large referral hospital in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was determined through interviews with key personnel. Patients with apical prolapse (with or without anterior/posterior prolapse) who underwent surgery between January and December 2018 were included. Demographics and outcomes were characterized. Data were presented as means (standard deviation [SD]), medians (interquartile range), or number (percentages).

A holistic care model was described. During the study period, 772 patients underwent prolapse repairs, 235 met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 55 (±14) years, and 75% (176/235) were postmenopausal. Median parity was 7 (5-9). A majority (56%, 131/233) had body mass index <18.5 (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters). Most were farmers (77%, 182/235) and had no formal education (76%, 178/235). Postmenopausal patients underwent hysterectomy, whereas premenopausal patients were treated with uterine-preserving techniques. Most repairs were performed vaginally (96%, 225/235), and 40% (94/234) had concurrent multicompartment repairs. Most common complications were hemorrhage (4%, 9/235, intraoperative) and urinary tract infection (5%, 11/235, postoperative).

High-volume surgical services for treating prolapse can be integrated into existing healthcare delivery models. Our demographic of patients differs from studies in high-income countries. The degree to which these studies can be generalized to patients in settings similar to ours represents an opportunity for further research.