International Urogynecology Journal

, Volume 20, Issue 9, pp 1119–1125 | Cite as

Implementation of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy—a single centre’s experience

  • Filip Claerhout
  • Jan Paul Roovers
  • Paul Lewi
  • Jasper Verguts
  • Dirk De Ridder
  • Jan Deprest
Original Article

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

The aim of this study was to describe the learning curve of a single surgeon to achieve the ability to perform a complication-free and anatomically successful laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC).

Methods

All patients, from the first LSC onwards (1996) were included. Outcome measures were operation time, number of laparotomies, complications and anatomical failures within 3 months. Learning curves were generated using moving average method (MOA) and cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis to assess changes in respectively operation time and failures (laparotomy, complication or anatomical failure).

Results

Of the 206 patients, 83% were completed by laparoscopy. The intra-operative and major respectively minor post-operative complication rates were 2.4% (n = 5), 4.4% (n = 9) and 12.6% (n = 26). CUSUM analysis showed adequate learning after 60 cases. MOA showed that operation time declined rapidly during the first 30 procedures reaching a steady state (175 min) after 90 cases. Complications remained unchanged throughout the series.

Conclusions

LSC was associated with a low complication rate but a long learning curve.

Keywords

CUSUM Feasibility Learning curve Laparoscopy Prolapse Sacrocolpopexy 

Abbreviations

BMI

Body mass index

CUSUM

Cumulative sum

LSC

Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy

MOA

Moving average method

POPQ

Pelvic organ prolapse quantification

Notes

Acknowledgment

We are indebted to Dr. Pino Cusumano for training us with this procedure in the early days.

Conflicts of interest

None

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Copyright information

© The International Urogynecological Association 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Filip Claerhout
    • 1
  • Jan Paul Roovers
    • 1
    • 2
  • Paul Lewi
    • 1
  • Jasper Verguts
    • 1
  • Dirk De Ridder
    • 1
  • Jan Deprest
    • 1
    • 3
  1. 1.Pelvic Floor Unit, University Hospitals LeuvenKatholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
  2. 2.Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyAcademical Medical CenterAmsterdamThe Netherlands
  3. 3.Division Woman and Child, Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUZ GasthuisbergLeuvenBelgium

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