The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of transabdominal wedge colpectomy as surgical treatment for
cystocele. One hundred and sixty-three women with either first or second-degree
cystocele (Beecham classification),
rectocele and concomitant
stress urinary incontinence or benign pelvic masses were submitted for a combined operation. Transabdominal repair of the
cystocele was performed by wedge colpectomy employing two different absorbable
sutures,
Vicryl and PDS. The choice of
suture was not random but depended on the period at which surgery was performed. Data obtained were analyzed with Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test. The
cystocele cure rate was 90.2% (110 out of 122) at 3-year follow-up and was significantly associated with the preoperative degree, being 95.5% and 76.5% in first and in second degree, respectively (P = 0.003). At 1-year follow-up the cure rate was significantly associated with the type of the
suture employed (P = 0.01). At 2-year follow-up
rectocele cure rate was 97.2% and
vaginal vault prolapse appeared in 3.5% of cases.
Stress urinary incontinence relapsed in 10% of patients after Burch colposuspension. After the operation 94.1% of the women declared normal coitus. In the present series wedge colpectomy was found to be effective in repairing first-degree
cystocele, whereas a high incidence of relapse was observed when second-degree
cystocele was present preoperatively. The
suture material employed influenced the cure rate.