Low risk of ureteral obstruction with "deep" (dorsal/posterior) uterosacral ligament suture placement for transvaginal apical suspension.
OBJECTIVE
Transvaginal uterosacral ligament fixation (USLF), often called "high" USLF, is associated with a 1.0% to 10.9% ureteral obstruction rate. Anatomic relations and pelvic rotation with positioning imply "high" (cephalad) suture placement may bring sutures closer to the ureter. We examined the ureteral obstruction rate with a "deep" (dorsal/posterior) uterosacral ligament suture placement modification of a standard USLF procedure.


METHODS
At the University of Massachusetts and Tufts, 411 consecutive patients underwent Mayo culdoplasty utilizing > or = 3 uterosacral sutures placed "deep" bilaterally. Intraoperative cystoscopy was performed.


RESULTS
One patient (0.24% [.01%-1.35%]) had ureteral obstruction attributable to USLF. Two had obstruction secondary to concomitant procedures. Compared with previous published series, the odds of ureteral injury secondary to USLF was 4.6 times lower (95% CI 2.31-9.24; P < .0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Placement of USLF sutures "deep" (dorsal/posterior) increases the margin of safety for the ureter and, in this study, decreased the ureteral injury rate nearly 5-fold.
Aronson
Michael P
MP
Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Medical School/UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, USA. aronsonm@ummhc.org
Aronson
Patricia K
PK
Howard
Allison E
AE
Morse
Abraham N
AN
Baker
Stephen P
SP
Young
Stephen B
SB
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000601:surgery*; D014599:Uterus / Q000601:surgery*