Anterior bilateral sacrospinous ligament fixation with concomitant anterior native tissue repair: a pilot study

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Anterior bilateral sacrospinous ligament fixation (ABSSLF) was first described in 2000 but only evaluated in a limited number of studies. However, due to the FDA’s ban on transvaginal mesh, interest in this technique has re-emerged. The SSLF procedure is known for its inherent high risk for anterior compartment failure; hence, in our center we started performing a preemptive concomitant anterior repair with the intention to reduce such risk. The aim of this study was to review the feasibility and clinical outcomes of this innovative technique. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all the women who had an ABSSLF and a concomitant anterior native tissue repair between May 2019 and July 2020 in a tertiary hospital in France. Our primary endpoint was surgical feasibility, while as secondary endpoints we wanted to explore the perioperative morbidities and clinical outcomes associated with this technique. RESULTS: A total of 50 women were operated on in the studied period. The median follow-up time was 10 [8.5] months. It was feasible to perform the combined ABSSLF and concomitant anterior native tissue repair in all cases. The most frequent perioperative complications reported were urinary tract infection (14%) and difficulty in resuming voiding (16%). Anatomical and functional results were improved. The rate of anterior compartment recurrence was 37%. CONCLUSIONS: ABSSLF with a concomitant anterior native tissue repair is feasible and relatively safe for treating anterior and apical pelvic prolapse. However, anterior compartment failure rate is still a limitation. Further larger studies with long-term anatomical and functional results comparing this technique to alternative transvaginal surgical approaches are needed.