Uphold Versus Robotic Surgery for Pelvic Prolapse Repair: A Decision Analytic Approach

The cumulative incidence of pelvic organ prolapse was approximately 2% in 2001. Given the aging demographics in the U.S., the incidence of prolapse is projected to increase to 30% or more for women aged 60 years and older and become of greater concern to both patients and physicians. The demand for gynecologic services is predicted to increase by more than 45% in the next ten years. Prolapse is related to childbirth, aging, defects in collagen, and smooth muscle structure and strength. Etiology includes intra-abdominal pressure from obesity, with obesity becoming an ever increasing factor in the US.

Treatment Choice of Patients:

Patients choose between pessary, surgery, and expectant management based on: age, prior prolapse surgery, preoperative pelvic pain scores, and pelvic organ prolapse severity. These are difficult decisions for patients.

When it comes to choosing between destinctive interventions with subtle advantages and disadvantages, patients typically want to hear their physician's views of the scientific merits of each procedure. Informed consent becomes extremely difficult when issues of cost-effectiveness are at hand. Thus, the proposed project.