Association Between Enlarged Genital Hiatus and Composite Surgical Failure After Vaginal Hysterectomy With Uterosacral Ligament Suspension
Authors: Bradley Megan S. , Sridhar Amaanti , Ferrante Kimberly , Andy Uduak U. , Visco Anthony G. , Florian-Rodriguez Maria E. , Myers Deborah , Varner Edward , Mazloomdoost Donna , Gantz Marie G. ,   for the NICHD Pelvic Floor Disorders Network
Published: August 2023

Commonly performed at the time of total vaginal hysterectomy to combat uterovaginal prolapse, uterosacral ligament suspension and sacrospinous ligament fixation are native tissue apical suspensions. Because recurrent pelvic organ prolapse increases over time after apical suspensions, nonmodifiable and modifiable risk factors have been explored. It is suggested by numerous studies that 1 risk factor for recurrent prolapse is an enlarged preoperative and postoperative genital hiatus (GH). An enlarged GH may be indicative of a caudal shift in pelvic viscera, increasing stress on vaginal supports. However, short-term follow-up, retrospective design, and lack of patient perspectives on prolapse outcomes limited the overall impact of those findings. The SUPeR trial (Study of Uterine Prolapse Procedures-Randomized) compared vaginal mesh hysteropexy with vaginal hysterectomy with uterosacral ligament suspension in a randomized trial design with long-term follow-up postoperatively. Postoperative assessments included the patient’s assessment of prolapse symptoms.

The primary objective of this manuscript was to evaluate the efficacy of the vaginal hysterectomy with uterosacral ligament suspension amidst groups defined by surgical changes in GH size. The hypothesis predicted higher prolapse recurrence proportions for those with persistently enlarged GH size at 4–6 weeks postoperatively, compared with those with smaller preoperative and postoperative GH sizes. SUPeR participants included in this ancillary analysis underwent vaginal hysterectomy with uterosacral ligament suspension and then completed a 2-year follow-up. Based on preoperative to postoperative GH measurement changes, participants were divided into 3 groups. These groups were (1) persistently enlarged GH (“persistently enlarged”), (2) improved GH (“improved”), and (3) stable or normal GH preoperatively and postoperatively (“stably normal”). Prolapse was defined as any compartment with prolapse 1 cm or more beyond the hymen. The primary aim was comparison of composite surgical failure across the GH groups at 24 months, defined by any of the following conditions: anatomic failure, retreatment for prolapse, or symptoms of bothersome vaginal bulge. Secondary outcomes included the composite surgical failure components, postoperative complications, POP-Q measurements, and pain during intercourse.

A total of 81 women were included in this secondary analysis. Predominant characteristics included a median age of 65.6 years, with 50 patients in the “improved group,” 14 patients in the “persistently enlarged” group, and 17 patients in the “stably normal” group. Notably, the prevalence of advanced anterior prolapse at baseline was greatest in the persistently enlarged group compared with that of both the improved and stably normal groups. Also, the prevalence of posterior colporrhaphy during the index procedure varied across groups and was more common in the improved group than the stably normal group. The surgery performed for almost all patients was a vaginal hysterectomy with uterosacral ligament suspension. The study found that following vaginal hysterectomy, after adjustment for the prevalence of advanced anterior prolapse, a woman with persistently enlarged GH at 4–6 weeks would not be at higher of composite surgical failure 2 years postsurgery when compared with other groups. The adjusted odds ratio for composite surgical failure in the persistently enlarged group compared with the stably normal group was 6.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.0–37.5; P = 0.06).

Ultimately, baseline GH size is not a modifiable risk factor; however, there does appear to be an association between postvaginal hysterectomy and anterior vaginal wall prolapse when performing a presurgical and postsurgical comparison of normal GH measurements. Nonetheless, this study was not able to confirm a significant relationship between risk of recurrent prolapse and patients grouped by GH size in this manner.