Laparoscopic uterosacral ligament suspension: a comprehensive, systematic literature review

Objectives Laparoscopic uterosacral ligament suspension (LUSLS) of the vaginal apex for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) has gained popularity. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate perioperative outcomes and complications, subjective and objective success rates and recurrence rates in women undergoing this surgical procedure. Study Design A systematic literature search was performed in December 2021. The critical appraisal skills program (CASP) was used to assess the methodological quality of the selected studies. The Clavien-Dindo (CD) scale and the Satava scale were used to classify periprocedural complications. Continuous variables were described as means and standard deviations while categorical were expressed as percentages of the whole group. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results 26 articles were selected and analysed, with a total population of 1401 patients. Anatomical and subjective success rates after LUSLS ranged from 79% and 100% and from 76.2% to 100% respectively. The re-operation rate varied from 2% to 4.5% in the largest cohorts. The overall complication rate was 13.6%, however grade III CD complications occurred only in 1% of patients. Ureteral complications were described in only 2 cases. Conclusions LUSLS represent a safe and effective technique for vaginal apex resuspension in women with POP. Further larger prospective randomized studies are required to confirm these data.