Suture complications in a teaching institution among patients undergoing uterosacral ligament suspension with permanent braided suture.

Yazdany, Tajnoos; Yip, Sallis; Bhatia, Narender N; Nguyen, John N

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS Our study aimed to identify the rate of suture complications over a 5-year period using braided permanent suture for uterosacral ligament suspension (USLS) surgery. METHODS We reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent vaginal uterosacral ligament suspensions using braided polyester suture. Outcome measures included rate and timing of suture complications, patient symptoms post-operatively, efficacy of treatment modalities and surgical success. RESULTS Eighty-three patients had undergone USLS with braided, polyester suture over the study period that met inclusion criteria. Thirty-seven patients (44.6%) had suture-related complications post-operatively with a mean follow-up of 10.4 months. When only silver nitrate was applied, 16.7% improved, and when the suture was cut in clinic, 77.8% resolved. CONCLUSIONS Permanent polyester braided suture for suspension of vaginal vault may lead to an unacceptably high suture erosion rate, cutting the suture in clinic results in the highest resolution.