[Are there selection criteria between abdominal approach and vaginal route for genital prolapse surgical management?].

INTRODUCTION: The never ending debate over the surgical approach of genital prolapse repair (abdominal versus vaginal route) is as passionate as ever. The available literature may support a multidisciplinary analysis of our expert daily practice.
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to define selection criteria for surgical approach between abdominal and vaginal route in the management of genital prolapse by reviewing the literature.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Systematically review of the literature concerning comparative anatomical and functionnal results of surgery of pelvic organ prolaps by vaginal or abdominal route.
RESULTS: We were confronted to the lack of data in the literature, with few prospective randomized comparative studies. Many limitations were identified such as small populations in the studies, no description of sub-population, multiplicity of surgical procedures. Moreover, vaginal route was compared to sacral colpopexy by open abdominal approach, whereas laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy is now recommended. Only one prospective randomized comparative trial assessed laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy and vaginal approach, in which was used a mesh withdrawn from the market.
CONCLUSION: The lack of available randomized trials makes it impossible to define HAS compliant guidelines on this topic. However, selection criteria for each surgical approach and technique were drawn from experts' advices.