Anterior Vaginal Repair or Para vaginal Repair

These vaginal procedures are often done for women when the bladder sinks into the vagina.(cystocele), the sinking of the bladder/urethra into the vagina (urethrocele) or the bulging of the rectum into the vagina (rectocele) An anterior vaginal repair is done through a cut in the vagina, and a para vaginal repair may be done through a cut in the vagina or abdomen.
This procedure is not carried out to correct stress incontinence, another procedure must be carried out along side this if the patient has stress incontinence also. The anterior repair, the supportive tissue between the vagina and bladder is folded and stitched together so the bladder and urethra are in proper position. In a para vaginal repair, the supportive tissue between the vagina and bladder is stitched to the tissue covering the pelvic floor muscles, so the bladder and urethra are supported. Studies have shown that the cure rate for stress urinary incontinence from these procedures is about 40-65%. Often, these procedures are done along with another procedure for stress incontinence such as a retro pubic suspension.

Cystocele

A cystocele is in plain English hernia of the bladder, which falls towards the vaginal opening. This happens when the muscular wall is too weak, therefore can cause urine to leak from the bladder when there is an increase in internal abdominal pressure such as in sneezing or coughing. Surgery such as an anterior vaginal wall repair may help this condition.

Possible complications may include urinary tract infection, inability to urinate, wound infection, fistula (rarely), and new onset of urge incontinence. Internal bleeding, injury to an organ (such as the bladder, urethra, or ureters). All surgeries that use general anaesthesia carry a small risk of death or complications.

After Surgery

Any abdominal surgery requires a healing process which can not be rushed. A catheter is placed into the bladder through the urethra (or abdominal wall) to allow urine to drain. This is done to allow the urinary tract to heal The catheter is usually removed within about 10 days. Hospital discharge is usually 2 to 3 days after the surgery if there have been no complications.
At home lots of rest and absolutely NO strenuous activity for 2- to 6 weeks. We all have different pain thresholds, there usually is an amount of pain after surgery, where the incision has been made. Pain relief will probably be prescribed for you during this time by your doctor. The pain should not be unbearable, if it is call your doctor immediately. Many women have some constipation after this surgery. Make sure you drink enough fluids, between 8 and 10 glasses of water, non-caffeinated beverages, and/or fruit juice each day. Include fruits, vegetables, and fiber in your diet. Be sure to tell your health professional if constipation persists even after these methods have been tried.