The abdominal approach to urogenital prolapse

Abstract

In deciding which surgical approach to use in repairing pelvic organ prolapse (POP), it is essential to have a complete understanding not only of the relevant anatomy, but also of the pathogenesis of POP. A detailed discussion of pelvic floor anatomy and physiology was presented earlier. There is no ideal approach or repair for POP. The choice of operation is made after careful consideration of a series of factors related to the patient's anatomy, medical history, and goals of surgery. To further complicate matters, laparoscopic and robotic surgery are new techniques available to the pelvic reconstructive surgeon. These newer techniques will be discussed in detail in a later Chapter. Finally, the traditional view that hysterectomy is part of POP repair is being challenged. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Milan.