The vaginal vault is the expanded region of the vaginal canal at the internal end of the

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hy ...

Prolapse

The vaginal vault may

prolapse In medicine, prolapse is a condition in which organs fall down or slip out of place. It is used for organs protruding through the vagina, rectum, or for the misalignment of the valves of the heart. A spinal disc herniation is also sometimes ...

after a

hysterectomy Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. It may also involve removal of the cervix, ovaries ( oophorectomy), Fallopian tubes ( salpingectomy), and other surrounding structures. Usually performed by a gynecologist, a hysterectomy may ...

, as there is no uterus supporting the interior end of the vagina. ''Colposacropexy'' is often used for treating vaginal vault prolapse. A

Cochrane Collaboration Cochrane (previously known as the Cochrane Collaboration) is a British international charitable organisation formed to organise medical research findings to facilitate evidence-based choices about health interventions involving health profes ...

review^{needs update''">Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers#Chronological items">needs update''/sup> found that limited data are available on optimal surgical approaches, including the use of transvaginal surgical mesh devices, in the form of a patch or sling, similar to its implementation for abdominal hernia

A hernia is the abnormal exit of tissue or an organ, such as the bowel, through the wall of the cavity in which it normally resides. Various types of hernias can occur, most commonly involving the abdomen, and specifically the groin. Groin hern ...
. However, the use of a transvaginal mesh in treating vaginal prolapses is associated with side effects including pain

Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...
, infection

An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable d ...
, and organ perforation
Organ perforation is a complete penetration of the wall of a hollow organ in the body, such as the gastrointestinal tract in the case of gastrointestinal perforation. It mainly refers to accidental or pathologic perforation, rather than intentional ...
. According to the FDA

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food s ...
, serious complications are "not rare." A number of class action

A class action, also known as a class-action lawsuit, class suit, or representative action, is a type of lawsuit where one of the parties is a group of people who are represented collectively by a member or members of that group. The class action ...
lawsuits

-
A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...
have been filed and settled against several manufacturers of TVM devices.

See also

* Vagina

In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hy ...

* Hysterectomy

Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. It may also involve removal of the cervix, ovaries ( oophorectomy), Fallopian tubes ( salpingectomy), and other surrounding structures.

Usually performed by a gynecologist, a hysterectomy may ...

References

External links

Dictionary definition of "Vaginal vault"
from TheFreeDictionary.com

Mammal female reproductive system

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