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Surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse: a historical review with emphasis on the anterior compartment

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

The objective of this work was to collect and summarize a detailed historical review of the surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in which we specifically focused on the anterior compartment.

Methods

A literature search in English, Dutch, and German was carried out using the keywords pelvic organ prolapse, anterior colporrhaphy, cystocele, and interposition operations in several databases (e.g., PubMed and HathiTrust Digital Library). Other relevant journal and textbook articles were found by retrieving references cited in previous articles and textbooks.

Results

Probably the first explanation of the treatment of POP dates from 1500 B.C. The Egyptians gave a description to “falling of the womb” in the Kahun Papyrus. More than a millennium later, Euryphon, a contemporary of Hippocrates (400 B.C.) described some interesting therapeutic options, from succussion (turning a women upside down for several minutes) to irrigating the displaced uterus with wine. A wide range of techniques has been attempted to repair the prolapsing anterior vaginal wall. By 1866, Sim had already performed a series of operations very similar to a modern anterior repair. The first reviews about the abdominal approach to correcting a cystocele were in 1890. The first description of using mesh to cystoceles was the use of tantalum mesh in 1955. In 1970, the first report of collagen mesh in urogynecology was described. Nowadays, robot-assisted surgery and cell-based tissue engineering are the latest interventions.

Conclusion

Many surgeons have tried to find the ideal surgical therapy for anterior compartment prolapse, but to date, this has not been achieved.

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Abbreviations

POP:

Pelvic organ prolapse

SUI:

Stress urinary incontinence

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Obstetrics & Gynaecology 791, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Postbus 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    E. J. M. Lensen, M. I. J. Withagen, K. B. Kluivers & M. E. Vierhout

  2. Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Reinier de Graaf Groep, Delft/Voorburg, The Netherlands

    A. L. Milani

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  1. E. J. M. Lensen
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  2. M. I. J. Withagen
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  3. K. B. Kluivers
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  4. A. L. Milani
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Correspondence to E. J. M. Lensen.

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Lensen, E.J.M., Withagen, M.I.J., Kluivers, K.B. et al. Surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse: a historical review with emphasis on the anterior compartment. Int Urogynecol J 24, 1593–1602 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-013-2074-2

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