Of the 44 women with ODS and POP treated with surgery eight patients were excluded from further analysis because the pelvic floor was reconstructed transvaginally. In total, 36 patients were operated on in the interdisciplinary manner combining L-RRP with L-SCP as described above. The median follow-up period was 19 months (12–32 months) with 33 patients to be analyzed at 12 months. For L-SCP a SM was used in 28 patients and a BM was used in 8 patients. The decision was based on patients’ preference and in cases planning for future pregnancies. One patient in the SM group was lost to follow-up. In two patients of the SM group the 12 months data were incomplete and were marked as missing values for statistical analysis of the follow-up (Fig. 1).
Patients´ characteristics
Patients’ median age was 57.5 years (range: 26–83 years), and the mean body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was 23 (18–35) with no statistically significant differences between the two subgroups, SM and BM. The ASA score ranged from ASA I (n = 2) to ASA III (n = 12), with most of the patients having ASA II (n = 22). The BM group consisted only of patients with ASA I (n = 1) and ASA II (n = 7), whereas in the SM group, 12 patients had ASA III. The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.029). Table 1 summarizes the baseline clinical characteristics of the operated patients.
Surgical outcome
All patients were operated laparoscopically with no conversion to open surgery. Operating time averaged 263 minutes (min; range: 165–418 min) and postoperative hospital stay was 8.2 days (range: 4–15 days), with no differences between the subgroups (Table 2). In 19 of the 36 patients (52%), a concomitant anterior/posterior colporrhaphy was added to the combined laparoscopic surgical procedure. The details are listed in Table 2, as well.
Morbidity and Mortality
In total, 5 patients experienced postoperative complications, one of them in the BM group. Most of the complications were mild (CDC 1–3a). Superficial wound infection (CDC 1) in one patient required no further treatment. One Urinary tract infection, diarrhea in one patient, and one lung embolism 5 days after surgery, all of which could be treated with medication (all CDC 2). One patient in the SM group developed an anastomotic leakage and required surgical revision with a temporary loop ileostomy (CDC 3b). The procedure was easier due to a previously placed Ghost stoma, a silicone loop marking a suitable ileum loop during the primary operation (30). Further recovery was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on day 10 (for further details see Table 3).
Clinical and Functional Outcome after Surgery
Obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS)
All patients enrolled had ODS, which was classified clinically by using scores before and after surgery. The Altomare score (maximum 30 points) averaged 10 points preoperatively and dropped to 5 points at 12 months (p = 0.006) (Fig. 4). Between the two subgroups the difference of the scores after surgery was significant for the SM group (p = 0.023), but not for the BM group (p = 0.074). The categorial analysis showed an improvement for the BM group, which did not reach significance due to the small sample size.
The mean results in the modified Longo score (maximum 24 points) reached 12 points preoperatively and 7 points after 12 months (p = 0.003) (Fig. 4). The results in the mesh subgroups showed the same result, as for the Altomare score. In the SM group the results differed (p = 0.015), whereas the analysis of the BM subgroup was not statistically significant (p = 0.09).
Some patients had bowel dysfunction symptoms, such as diarrhea, meteorism, and pain upon defecation, which was measured using the rectal toxicity score (maximum 32 points). In the total cohort, 15 points were measured preoperatively and 7 points 12 months (p < 0.01) (Fig. 4). Both subgroups were statistically lower after surgery, with higher values for the SM group (15 and 10 points before and after surgery, respectively; p = 0.004) than for the BM group (8 and 5 points before and after surgery, respectively; p = 0.04).
The Wexner incontinence score (WIS) as a parameter for the control of flatus and stool improved after surgery. The WIS documented 7 points preoperatively and 4 points at 12 months (p = 0.035) (Fig. 4). The results differed significantly between the subgroups. In the SM group, the median was 9 and 2 points before and after surgery, respectively (p = 0.01). In the BM group, the values were 7 and 3 points before and after surgery (p = 0.5).
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP)
Postoperative anatomical results were compared with preoperative evaluation by using the POP-Q score. Before surgery, 13 (36%) patients had POP-Q stage 1 and 23 (64%) patients had POP-Q stages 2–3. Postoperatively, 28 (78%) patients had POP-Q stage 0. Of these 7 patients (19%) with POP-Q stage 1, 5 patients had improved from higher grade POP-Q. One (3%) patient had POP-Q stage 2 relapse after 6 months due to insufficient fixation of the BM; the patient underwent laparoscopic apical refixation with an SM. The difference between these results was statistically significant (p < 0.001, Fig. 5).
Urinary incontinence symptoms
Of all 36 patients who underwent L-RRP and L-SCP, 17 (47%) patients suffered from urinary incontinence before surgery (mixed urinary incontinence). Postoperatively continence was restored in 14 patients (82%). No de-novo stress or urgency urinary incontinence symptoms appeared. The results were statistically significant (p < 0.001, Fig. 5). In the subgroup analysis the results after the use of a SM were significantly different (p < 0.001), whereas the difference in the BM group could not be shown due to the low number of patients (p = 1).