Fourteen-Year Experience with Laparoscopic Ventrosuspension in Patients with Retroverted and Retroflected Uterus and Pelvic Pain Syndromes

Background In women with a retroverted uterus, who have dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, or dysmenorrhea, laparoscopic ventrosuspension of the uterus has been reported effective in achieving symptom relief. Study Objective To critically review our experience with our method of laparoscopic ventrosuspension. Design Cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). Setting Tertiary care center. Patients Sixty-three women who had undergone laparoscopic ventrosuspension for treatment of pain syndromes during 1995 through 2008. Interventions Laparoscopic ventrosuspension, and a questionnaire about the long-term outcome of the operation. Measurements and Main Results There were no adverse events except for 2 repeat operations within 3 postoperative days. Forty-nine women (77.8%) answered the questionnaire about long-term outcome, and in these patients, significant pain relief was achieved (p <.001). Pain levels decreased, based on a numeric rating scale, from a mean (SD) of 6.35 (1.92) to 0.97 (1.40) in patients without endometriosis, and from 6.93 (2.09) to 3.80 (2.08) in those with endometriosis. Of 34 patients without endometriosis, 1 (2.9%) stated that the operation had not led to symptom relief, compared with 4 of 15 (26.7%) with endometriosis (p = .03). Conclusion Laparoscopic ventrosuspension is clearly beneficial in women with a retroverted and retroflected uterus who have pelvic pain syndromes, even in the long term.