There is significant risk of re-operation after pelvic reconstructive surgery. In an attempt to improve outcome, synthetic materials are increasingly being used to augment pelvic organ prolapse repair despite lack of strong evidence to support their routine use. The use of synthetic mesh to correct apical, anterior and posterior vaginal wall prolapse is not without complications. This review aims to evaluate the long-term complications of synthetic mesh in pelvic reconstructive surgery.

In the ageing female population, recurrent vaginal vault prolapse is a significant healthcare burden. There is limited evidence regarding the optimal management strategy for recurrent vault prolapse. This paper aims to discuss treatment modalities available for recurrent vault prolapse. A literature search and analysis was performed using Medline, PubMed, Cochrane database, current texts and references from relevant articles. We found inconclusive evidence supporting conservative, mechanical and some surgical options for treating recurrent vault prolapse; including iliococcygeal fixation, McCall culdoplasty, and infracoccygeal sacropexy. Sacrospinous ligament fixation (SSLF), sacrocolpopexy, mesh implants and colpocleisis are shown to have good outcomes in Level II studies. Nevertheless, the first two are associated with haemorrhage, dyspareunia and scarring whilst colpocleisis is limited to selected patients. More well-designed studies are required for recurrent vault prolapse. Current evidence suggests SSLF, and sacrocolpopexy are alternative surgical options to colpocleisis in treating recurrent vault prolapse. Randomised trials are required to determine the efficacy and safety of trocar-guided mesh kits.

Since first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, COVID-19 caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Corona virus2 (SARS CoV-2) quickly spread to become a pandemic that has caused significant morbidity and mortality. The rapidity of the spread of the virus and the high mortality at the outset threatened to overwhelm health systems worldwide, and, indeed, this significantly impacted maternal health, especially since there was minimal experience to draw from. Experience with Covid 19 has grown exponentially as the unique needs of pregnant and labouring women with COVID-19 infection have become more evident. Managing COVID-19 parturients requires a multidisciplinary team consisting of anaesthesiologists, obstetricians, neonatologists, nursing staff, critical care staff, infectious disease and infection control experts. There should be a clear policy on triaging patients depending on the severity of their condition and the stage of labour. Those at high risk of respiratory failure should be managed in a tertiary referral centre with facilities for intensive care and assisted respiration. Staff and patients in delivery suites and operating rooms should be protected by enforcing infection protection principles such as offering dedicated rooms and theatres to SARS CoV-2 positive patients and using personal protective equipment. All hospital staff must be trained in infection control measures which should be updated regularly. Breastfeeding and care of the new-born must be part of the healthcare package offered to COVID-19 parturient mothers.

Choosing a treatment approach of Cesarean section scar pregnancy is challenging and requires making women aware of material risks inherent in the different approaches that they perceive as having potential impact on their live or quality of life.