Currycombs for the vaginal paravaginal defect repair

Background: The paravaginal defect, present in more than three-quarters of patients with cystoceles, can be repaired by both the abdominal and vaginal approaches. The technical challenges of the vaginal paravaginal repair have militated against its widespread adoption by gynecologic surgeons. Instrument: Currycombs can be used to facilitate suture management during vaginal paravaginal repair. Experience: The vaginal paravaginal repair using currycombs was performed as part of pelvic repair surgery on 27 patients. Perioperative complications were minimal. A cystocele cure rate of 80% was achieved after a mean follow-up of 8 months. Conclusion: The use of currycombs during performance of the vaginal paravaginal repair facilitates suture management. The addition of this technique should help gynecologic surgeons to perform this somewhat daunting surgical procedure. (C) 1997 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.