The meshes are also sometimes offered as a treatment for women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse. Pelvic organ prolapse affects up
to half of women who have had children, and occurs when a pelvic organ –
such as the bladder, rectum or uterus – “sags” and moves out of place.
This can happen when the pelvic floor muscles, ligaments and tissue that
hold the organs in place are weak or damaged.
Childbirth is a main source of trauma to the muscles and ligaments, and hormonal changes during the menopause also lead to muscles weakening
and becoming less elastic. Heavy lifting can also cause damage to the
pelvic organs and lead to prolapse. The condition also tends to run in
families and is more common in women who are overweight.
While some women have no symptoms, pelvic organ prolapse can be debilitating and make it hard to go to the toilet, can cause painful or
heavy sensations in the vagina, and can make sex difficult, all of which
require treatment. It can also cause a loss of sensation and make it
harder to “push”, for example when urinating. For women with these
symptoms reconstructive surgery using vaginal mesh is sometimes
recommended.
How does it work?
The mesh is a net-like implant. It comes in a number of forms including a “sling”, “tape”, “ribbon”, “mesh” and “hammock”. There are
different brands and manufacturers.
The aim of the mesh is to give permanent support to the weakened organs and to repair damaged tissue.
Surgery can be done through the abdomen (transabdominal) or through the vagina (transvaginal). A small incision is made in the vaginal or
abdominal wall, and the surgical mesh is implanted and held in place by
sutures or tissue fixation devices. The idea is that tissue will grow
into the pores of the mesh to create a wall of support.
