Both the traditional and modern treatment modalities fixing the symptoms of vaginal vault prolapse do not ascertain effectiveness, media report says. Complications arising from a vaginal vault prolapse are getting more serious that the public is now concerned if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is discussing about a vaginal mesh recall.
If not immediately attended to, vaginal vault prolapse may exacerbate and surgery may be the only option to correct it. But not every patient can go through an invasive operation. As the doctor decides on the appropriate treatment approach for the patient, the determining factors include the patient’s choice, degree of prolapse, and the patient’s sexual activity preferences.
Non-surgical therapy is best for women who are active in sexual relations, who have medical disorders contraindicated for surgery, or who do not have any observable symptoms. The procedures that may be carried out are the fitting of a pessary for a better pelvic floor support, Kegels exercises, and modification of lifestyle and activities that may worsen the problem.
Strengthening the pelvic muscles, estrogen hormone therapy may be helpful in some patients. But hormone replacement therapy is not without risks, so doctors have to ensure the patient has no serious disorders that would make this treatment inadvisable. Nonetheless, it also provides long-term health advantages in protecting the patient from osteoporosis and heart failures.
The purpose of operating on a vaginal vault prolapse is to repair pelvic and vaginal tissue defects.A general or a spinal epidural anesthesia is administered, depending on the duration and the invasiveness of the procedure.
Laparoscopic surgery is the widely practiced operation for vaginal vault prolapse. In severe cases, a vaginal vault suspension is carried out by stitching the prolapsed part of the vagina into more stable pelvic tissues or into the sacrum. This type of surgery is an aseptic abdominal procedure. Patients may need to remain admitted in the hospital for 1 to 2 days so any presence of complications would be carefully detected. Activities that may harm the tissues and muscles while they’re healing are avoided for six to nine weeks.
Vaginal vault prolapse surgery is often successful with minimal recurrences. However, with the use of the latest medical device known as vaginal mesh, more complications and recurring effects are experienced by women. To date, the FDA is still investigating to better understand this problem while physicians continue to perform this procedure. From another standpoint, the rate of the filed vaginal mesh lawsuit cases has increased.
References:
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ogi/2009/275621/
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/vaginal_prolapse/page15_em.htm#Outlook
http://www.uptodate.com/contents/an-overview-of-the-epidemiology-risk-factors-clinical-manifestations-and-management-of-pelvic-organ-prolapse-in-women