3 The procedure

3.1 Uterine suspension using mesh to repair uterine prolapse involves attaching the uterus (or cervix) either to the sacrum (sacrohysteropexy) or to the ileopectineal ligaments. This procedure can also be used for women with cervical prolapse after supracervical hysterectomy. The procedure is done with the patient under general anaesthesia by an open or laparoscopic abdominal approach. In sacrohysteropexy the mesh can be attached to the uterus either in the midline of the posterior cervix or bilaterally, where the uterosacral ligaments join the uterus (in both cases the other end of the mesh is attached to the sacrum). Another mesh suspension technique involves attaching the mesh to the front of the uterine cervix and to the lateral ileopectineal ligaments. Each of the above procedures can be described as a 'uterine suspension using mesh'.

3.2 This procedure can be combined with surgery for stress urinary incontinence, such as colposuspension or minimally invasive sling placement. Several different types of synthetic and biological mesh are available that vary in structure and in their physical properties, such as absorbability.