Vaginal mesh surgery is done to repair pelvic organ prolapse.
As they age, women may face special problems with their pelvic organs. After childbirth, hysterectomy and with aging, the muscles and ligaments that hold pelvic organs (bladder, vagina, uterus, and rectum) in their proper place weaken and stretch. When this happens, the pelvic organs can slip out of place (prolapse), drop down, sag and may even protrude outside the body. Depending on the organ involved, prolapsed can be a cystocele (bladder prolapse), rectocele (rectal prolapse), uterine prolapse, or vaginal prolapse.
One of the problems women with prolapse encounter is that they have to empty their bladders more often (called frequency) or they may even leak urine (called urinary incontinence). Women may also feel pressure from organs bulging into the opening of the vagina or even bulging outside. If the prolapse isn’t too severe, a pessary may be enough to hold the organs in place, but prolapse tends to worsen as women grow older, so many women may need surgery to fix the problem.
Vaginal Mesh Surgery
There are several types of surgery available. One recently popular type is called vaginal mesh surgery where a piece of synthetic mesh is implanted under the prolapsed organs to provide support. While this type of surgery has been approved by the FDA, it is known to cause problems for some patients.
Complications of Vaginal Mesh Surgery
Not all patients who have this surgery experience complications, but for those who do, removal of the mesh may be necessary. The FDA feels that all women who have had vaginal mesh surgery should be aware of warning signs that indicate a problem serious enough for them to contact their surgeon:
- Erosion occurs when the vaginal mesh protrudes into the vagina and is the most common complication. Vaginal bleeding or discharge may occur and male sexual partners may experience irritation of their penis during sexual intercourse when they come in contact with eroded mesh materials.
- Sexual dysfunction may occur, specifically pain during intercourse.
- Urinary tract infections may become frequent from the presence of eroded mesh within the urinary tract.
- Pain in the pelvic or groin area is a signal that there may be a problem with the mesh.
If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, you should make an appointment with your surgeon to discuss them. It may be possible to correct or improve your symptoms with non-surgical interventions, but surgery to remove the mesh may also be necessary.
If you have had vaginal mesh surgery but are not experiencing any of these symptoms, it is safe to continue with your regularly scheduled care. Be aware of the symptoms, however, and report any of them to your surgeon. Make sure you follow all of your surgeon’s postoperative instructions and keep all postoperative appointments for checkups.
Questions to ask your surgeon about vaginal mesh surgery
If you are considering having surgery to correct pelvic organ prolapse, discuss types of surgical technique and materials to be used carefully before making your decision. Here are some questions to ask your doctor:
- What type of mesh will be used?
- Which technique will be used to implant the mesh, transvaginal (throught the vagina) or abdominal (through the stomach)?
- What other surgical techniques are available to correct the POP?
- How many surgeries for pelvic organ prolapse repair or vaginal mesh implantation has the surgeon performed?
- How often have his/her patients experienced problems with the surgery and which kinds have occurred?
- Can you speak with another patient who may have had the same surgery?
Do your homework carefully before agreeing to the surgery and pay close attention to the above symptoms after surgery. Remember that some women do not experience complications from vaginal mesh surgery.
