Importance of cervical elongation assessment for laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy

Abstract

Cervical elongation in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP), who previously underwent laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC), is not fully understood. We report a case of a second surgery for endometrial cancer complicated with POP recurrence, which seemed to be related to cervical elongation following LSC. A 65-year-old woman was referred for invasive treatment following LSC. Although preoperative endometrial cytology was negative, the resected uterine specimen revealed endometrioid carcinoma. The patient also had complications of cervical prolapse with cystocele Stage III. Repeat surgery was performed with a trachelectomy, anterior-posterior colporrhaphy, and vaginal apex suspension. Mesh had been adequately sutured to the upper cervix in the previous surgery, and the resected cervix was elongated up to 9 cm. Cervical elongation may be correlated with the inaccurate preoperative endometrial examination, and it may also promote POP recurrence leading to a poorly supported pelvic floor. We suggest that cervical elongation should be identified before POP surgery.

Keywords

• cervical elongation
• endometrial cancer
• laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy
• pelvic organ prolapse