What is pelvic organ
(vaginal) prolapse?
The pelvic floor muscles hold up the bowel,
bladder and uterus. When the muscles become
weak the bowel, bladder and/or uterus can
push into the vagina. You may have bladder
or bowel problems.
Common causes of weakened pelvic floor
muscles include pregnancy, childbirth, aging,
obesity and chronic constipation.
Should I be concerned?
Most women who have a mesh implant have
a good long-term result. Between 8 and 15%
of women have a problem after transvaginal
mesh surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.
Most problems are minor or temporary. However,
some women experience severe problems.
How do I find out if I
have a mesh implant?
Speak with your doctor or surgeon. They should
be able to see your medical records and if mesh
was used in your surgery. If they do not have
this information or you are unable to contact
them, you can phone the hospital where you had
your surgery. Ask the hospital’s Medical Records
Department to help you.
Your doctor can also check to see if you
have a mesh implant by using a pelvic floor
ultrasound test.
What are the possible risks
from my mesh implant?
There are problems that can occur after prolapse
surgery with or without mesh, including:
- that it will not fix the problem
- you may have bowel or bladder problems
- you may have pain during sexual intercourse
- you may have ongoing pelvic pain.
There are also problems that can be specific
to mesh surgery, and can include:
- the mesh wears away through the
vaginal wall
- the mesh damages the bowel or bladder,
requiring further surgery.
Ongoing pelvic pain and pain during sexual
intercourse may be more common after mesh
surgery
It may be possible to manage your symptoms
without further surgery.
You will need to talk to a specialist doctor
about whether the mesh needs to be removed.
Your doctor may not recommend this. It may
be difficult to remove the mesh and if the mesh
is removed the symptoms may still be there.
What should I do if I have
any of these problems?
You can make an appointment to see your
doctor or surgeon.
You can also make an appointment at a
specialist clinic with experience in mesh
complications.
These specialist clinics are available at:
- John Hunter Hospital - Phone 02 4921 3600
- Nepean Hospital - Phone 02 4734 4777
- Royal North Shore Hospital - Phone 02 9463 2352
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital - Phone 0436 946 835
- St George Hospital - Phone 02 9113 2272
- Westmead Hospital - Phone 02 8890 7668
Where can I go for more
information?
Talk to your doctor. You can ask for a second
opinion from an independent urogynaecologist
or a gynaecologist experienced in pelvic
floor surgery.
A urogynaecologist is a specialist in disorders
of the female pelvic floor.
A gynaecologist is a specialist in women’s
reproductive health.
Further information is
available from the
following organisations
