Does Sacral Colpopexy Increase Constipation Compared With Vaginal Prolapse Surgery?

Constipation is a common and bothersome problem for many patients with prolapse. This study attempts to understand rates of constipation following abdominal and vaginal prolapse surgical procedures.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether sacral colpopexy increases postoperative constipation compared with vaginal prolapse surgery.

This was a prospective cohort study of participants undergoing surgery for apical prolapse at a single academic urogynecology practice. Preoperative, intraoperative, and 6-week and 6-month postoperative data were collected. The Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) questionnaire was utilized to assess for constipation preoperatively and postoperatively. The primary outcome measure was the difference in PAC-SYM scores from preoperative evaluation to 6 weeks postoperatively between those who underwent sacral colpopexy (abdominal group) and those who underwent vaginal prolapse surgery (vaginal group). Unadjusted and adjusted linear regression were used to evaluate the change in PAC-SYM.

Ninety-seven participants were enrolled in the study, and 6-week postoperative data were available for 91 participants (50 participants in the abdominal group and 41 participants in the vaginal group). Forty-three percent of participants had preoperative constipation. There were no statistically significant changes in total or subscale PAC-SYM scores at 6 weeks or 6 months postoperatively. At 6 weeks, more participants in the abdominal group had changes in the number of weekly bowel movements than the vaginal group.

Constipation is common among women with pelvic organ prolapse. Symptoms of constipation do not significantly change after prolapse surgery. Sacral colpopexy does not appear to worsen constipation postoperatively compared with vaginal prolapse surgery.