Long-term Effectiveness of Abdominal Sacrocolpopexy for the Treatment of Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Extended Colpopexy and Urinary Reduction Efforts (E-CARE) Study

This study extended follow-up of eligible women enrolled in the CARE (Colpopexy and Urinary Reduction Effort) trial, a two year randomized trial designed to assess whether a Burch colposuspension, when added to a planned sacrocolpopexy for the treatment of prolapse, improves the rate of urinary stress continence in subjects without pre-operative symptoms of stress urinary incontinence. Participants were followed for up to 10 years from the time of their initial surgery completed during the CARE trial. The trial concluded that during 7 years of long-term follow-up, abdominal sacrocolpopexy failure rates increased in both groups. Urethropexy prevented stress urinary incontinence longer than no urethropexy. Researchers concluded that abdominal sacrocolpopexy effectiveness should be balanced with long-term risks of mesh or suture erosion.