Vaginal Hysterectomy vs Supracervical Hysterectomy at the Time of Sacrocolpopexy

Study Procedures:

Study Identification and Recruitment Potential subjects will be identified by members of the Center for Urogynecology \& Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Main campus, Hillcrest Hospital and Fairview Hospital. Eligible patients who agree to participate will be provided written informed consent administered by the collaborators listed on this IRB.

Randomization All subjects will be predetermined by their surgeon to undergo a laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. The participants will then be randomized to either concurrent vaginal hysterectomy or laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy according to a computer-generated randomization schedule with the use of the SAS statistical software package (SAS Institute, Cary, NC).

Office Interventions All patients will be seen for a preoperative visit and then postoperatively at 6, 12 and 24 months. The 6 month visit will be standard of care, the 12 month and 24 month visit will be a research visit. At each visit, a vaginal exam and a complete Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) exam will be performed. In addition, patients will be asked to complete the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20), Incontinence Severity Index (ISI), Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12) and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGII) questionnaires at the pre-operative visit as well as the 6, 12, and 24 month postoperative visits. Completion of these questionnaires is the only additional assessment that is specific to participation in this study and is not usually included as part of the standard care of sacrocolpopexy. It should take no more than 10-15 minutes to complete the questionnaires. The study subjects will not be exposed to any additional risk by participating in this study except for the inconvenience of completing the questionnaires.

Surgical Interventions The laparoscopic portions of the surgery will be performed using four ports: an umbilical port for the laparoscope (either 5 or 10/12mm), two ports (either 5, 8 or 10/12 mm) in the bilateral lower quadrants, and one 5-mm port placed at the level of the umbilicus, lateral to the rectus muscle on either side for retraction.

If a supracervical hysterectomy is to be performed, it will be done in a standard fashion. A uterine manipulator will be placed inside of the uterus. The round ligaments will be transected using cautery. The fallopian tubes and ovaries will be left in situ or removed at the time of hysterectomy depending upon the preoperative decision made between the surgeon and patient. The uterine arteries and cardinal ligaments will be cauterized laparoscopically. The uterus will be amputated at the level of the internal cervical os and the endocervical canal will be cauterized. The specimen will be extracted in a laparoscopic endocatch bag and removed through an extended incision at the umbilicus at the end of the case. Dissection of the vagina anteriorly and posteriorly will be done laparoscopically with the use of an end-to-end anastomosis (EEA) sizer in the vagina. Dissection of the presacral space will also be done laparoscopically. Five to six 2-0 PDS sutures will be placed to secure the mesh to the anterior vagina as well as the posterior vagina for a total of 10-12 sutures on the vagina; the arm of the mesh will be secured to the anterior longitudinal ligament of the sacrum using two 0 Prolene sutures. The Coloplast® Restorelle Y mesh will be used for all cases. The peritoneum will be closed with 0 or 2-0 vicryl sutures.

If a vaginal hysterectomy is performed, it will be done in a standard fashion using a traditional clamp and suture technique starting at the uterosacral ligaments and ending with the utero-ovarian ligaments. The specimen will be extracted through the vagina. Dissection of the vagina anteriorly and posteriorly will be done vaginally. The mesh will be attached vaginally using five to six 2-0 PDS sutures on the anterior and posterior vagina for a total of 10-12 sutures on the vagina. The Coloplast® Restorelle Dual flat mesh will be used. The vagina will then be closed in two layers using 0 or 2-0 vicryl suture. Laparoscopic entrance will then be gained and set up will be done as described above. The presacral space will be dissected laparoscopically and the mesh attached to the anterior longitudinal ligament of the sacrum using two 0 Prolene sutures. The peritoneum will be closed with 0 or 2-0 vicryl sutures.