Vaginal Hysterectomy and Pelvic Organ Prolapse: History and Recent Developments

Vaginal hysterectomy (VH) was described as far back as 120 CE. However, it was not till the mid-1900s when reconstructive procedures were introduced to mitigate the risk of, or treat, pelvic organ prolapse in relation to VH. Furthermore, routine hysterectomy, particularly VH, has long been advocated in prolapse surgery. However, this indication is now questionable.

Literature review to provide an overview of current evidence and experts’ opinion regarding the relationship between VH and pelvic organ prolapse. The review presents a historical perspective on the role of VH in the management of pelvic organ prolapse, the current debate on the usefulness of the procedure in this context, a practical guide on operative techniques used during VH and the impact of recent surgical developments on its use.

Vaginal hysterectomy is a well-established technique that is still superior to laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign gynecological disease, although more surgically challenging. However, it is possible that some contemporary techniques, such as vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery, may overcome some of these challenges, and hence increase the number of hysterectomies performed via the vaginal route. Although patients should be counselled about uterine-sparing reconstructive surgery, vaginal hysterectomy continues to be a major surgical procedure in reconstructive pelvic floor surgery.

Therefore, it is prudent to continue to train residents in vaginal surgical skills to ensure that they continue to provide safe, cost-effective, and comprehensive patient care.