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Laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy for obstructive defecation syndrome: still the way to go?

  • Clinical Opinion
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Abstract

Laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy (VMR) has become a popular surgical technique for treating women with full-thickness rectal prolapse with a low recurrence rate, as demonstrated by several studies. In addition, it is increasingly applied to female patients with obstructive defecation syndrome (ODS) caused by intussusception ± rectocele. Functional improvement can be achieved in a high number of patients with ODS, but expectations need to be discussed carefully, as a few patients may not benefit at all. In particular, long-term data on functional outcome and complications following laparoscopic VMR for ODS are still lacking in the literature. Notably, laparoscopic VMR appears to be better than alternative operations for prolapse, intussusception, and rectocele in terms of efficacy, recurrence rates, and adverse effects, but there is a lack of evidence directly comparing techniques through randomized controlled trials; thus, its exact role stills needs to be defined in the future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18–20, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Stefan Riss

  2. Colorectal Unit, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

    Stefan Riss, Joseph Winstanley & Mhairi Collie

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  1. Stefan Riss
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  2. Joseph Winstanley
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  3. Mhairi Collie
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Correspondence to Stefan Riss.

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Riss, S., Winstanley, J. & Collie, M. Laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy for obstructive defecation syndrome: still the way to go?. Int Urogynecol J 28, 979–981 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-017-3378-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-017-3378-4

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