A total of 154 patients were included with 77 patients in each group. There were no statistically significant differences in menopausal stage, parity, vaginal births, caesarean sections, nicotine consumption, urinary stress incontinence, overactive bladder, Oxford scale score, diarrhea, obstipation, or fecal incontinence between the two study groups. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference in preoperative POP-Q stage, nor in concomitant performed colporrhaphies between the two groups. Both groups also showed no statistically significant difference in preoperative health issues such as: cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, diseases of the respiratory system, neurological disease, orthopedic issues, metabolic diseases, or renal problems.
The SSHP group showed a significantly shorter mean operation time (67.0 vs 97.1 min; p < 0.001), fewer hospitalization days (2.94 vs 4.87 days p < 0.001) and less intraoperative blood loss (SSHP: 120.00 ml vs. vag. HE: 186.18 ml; p= 0.035) in comparison to the control group. Neither group had any intraoperative complication, nor an intraoperative conversion to other surgical management options. Regarding postoperative complications no statistically significant difference was found, with 2 patients experiencing grade 3b complications (one in each group) as categorized by the Clavien-Dindo classification.
Furthermore, we assessed the postoperative difference between the study and control group for issues such as urinary tract infections, de-novo incontinence, residual urine, voiding disorders, vaginal infection, infection of the wound, bleeding, required blood transfusions and pain – no statistically significant differences were found for any of these issues.