Laparoscopic surgery for pelvic support defects

Abstract

Reconstructive pelvic surgery for the treatment of vaginal prolapse continues to evolve as surgeons continue their quest for definitive surgical cure. Though there are three primary routes of access to reconstructive pelvic surgery (abdominal, vaginal and laparoscopic) it is the laparoscopic approach that appears to be the least utilized. This is in part due to the great degree of technical difficulty associated with laparoscopic suturing. This paper reviews the general principles and functional anatomy associated with normal vaginal support as well as the laparoscopic surgical approach to pelvic floor support defects.