title: The role of synthetic and biologic materials in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse.
abstract: Pelvic organ prolapse is a significant medical problem that poses a diagnostic and management dilemma. These diseases cause serious morbidity in those affected and treatment is sought for relief of pelvic pain, rectal bleeding, chronic constipation, obstructed defecation, and fecal incontinence. Numerous procedures have been proposed to treat these conditions; however, the search continues as colorectal surgeons attempt to find the procedure that would optimally treat these conditions. The use of prosthetics in the repair of pelvic organ prolapse has become prevalent as the benefits of their use are realized. While advances in biologic mesh and new surgical techniques promise improved functional outcomes with decreased complication rates without de novo symptoms, the debate concerning the best prosthetic material, synthetic or biologic, remains controversial. Furthermore, laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy has emerged as a procedure that could potentially fill this role and is rapidly becoming the procedure of choice for the surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse.
authors.affiliation: Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Mississippi ; The views expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
authors.forename: Ramon A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System, Biloxi, Mississippi.
authors.forename: C Neal
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Ellis
keywords: biologic mesh; pelvic organ prolapse; ventral mesh rectopexy