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Sacrocolpopexy is a procedure used to correct pelvic organ prolapse (when organs in your pelvis move out of place and bulge down into the vagina). During the procedure, your surgeon will lift your vagina back into place and secure it to a ligament along your sacrum (the vertebrae right above your tailbone). It can be performed alone or with other procedures to treat pelvic organ prolapse or incontinence.
The procedure can be performed laparoscopically (with the da Vinci robotic surgical system) or abdominally. The least invasive approach that can be safely performed will be selected.
After you are put under general anesthesia, your doctor will make several small incisions in your abdomen. They then will separate your vagina from your bladder and rectum. Next, permanent mesh is put on the top and bottom walls of the vagina, and a small piece is used to attach the vagina to a ligament that overlies the sacrum (tail bone). Since the sacrum is higher than the vagina, this lifts up the vagina. If additional procedures are planned, they will then be performed.
Minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy provides similar results to abdominal sacrocolpopexy but with some additional benefits:
Minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy often requires additional training to perform, so it is important to ask if your surgeon is a fellowship-trained and board-certified urogynecologist.
You may be asked to undergo some bladder testing called urodynamic testing. You’ll attend a preoperative visit to draw some basic lab work. If you need surgical clearance or prior approval, you’ll be asked to get this before surgery.
Sacrocolpopexy by itself takes about 1.5 to 3 hours to perform. Most patients can go home the day of the surgery; however, your doctor will review your medical history, and some risk factors may require overnight observation.
Most patients report minimal pain with laparoscopic or robotic sacrocolpopexy. You can expect some activity restrictions for 6 weeks, but many patients can return to a normal routine shortly after surgery. Activity restrictions include:
The risk of complications from sacrocolpopexy is typically very low, especially when performed laparoscopically or robotically. As with any procedure, there is a risk of anesthesia problems, pain, bleeding, infection, blood clots or damage to nearby organs, but those are rare. Risks specific to sacrocolpopexy include:
Check your insurance plan benefits to see if your policy covers sacrocolpopexy. If it does, our office will help you get prior authorization if your insurance policy requires it. If you have further questions, contact your insurance carrier.