An estimation of the frequency of surgery  for posthysterectomy vault prolapse.
OBJECTIVE
We tried to estimate the frequency of surgery for posthysterectomy vault prolapse.


METHODS
We contacted all 86 departments of gynecology in Austria and asked them about total number of hysterectomies and total number of operations for vault prolapse. We then calculated a percentage of patients undergoing surgery for posthysterectomy vault prolapse.


RESULTS
Sixty-five of 86 public hospitals replied (response rate 76%) and reported a total of 7,645 hysterectomies and 577 operations for vault prolapse for the year 2005, giving a percentage of 7.16 for surgery for posthysterectomy vault prolapse. On the assumption that vault prolapse takes on the average 10 years to develop and that the number of hysterectomies decreased by 10% over 10 years, we calculated a modified frequency of 6.52%.


CONCLUSIONS
We were able to calculate an estimation of the frequency for posthysterectomy vault prolapse requiring surgical repair between 6% and 8%.
Aigmueller
Thomas
T
Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Landesklinikum Thermenregion Moedling, Sr.M.Restituta-Gasse 12, 2340 Moedling, Austria. aigmueller@gmail.com
Dungl
Andrea
A
Hinterholzer
Susanne
S
Geiss
Ingrid
I
Riss
Paul
P
D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*