Hospital Map
6.30 pm
Coffee and Registration
7.00 pm
Annual General Meeting of the Section of Surgery immediately followed by the Presidential Address of Miss Karen Telford
“My Pelvic Floor Journey - to repair, to staple or to implant?”
Emerging technology in the field of pelvic floor surgery dramatically changed the treatment of this patient group over a ten-year period, this being an area of rapid growth. With novel innovation, stapling devices were introduced to correct anatomical pelvic organ prolapse and sacral neuromodulation appeared to have a dramatic effect on the outlook of patients living with bowel incontinence. The treatment of external rectal prolapse received a ‘facelift’ with the development of the laparoscopic approach for prolapse surgery, resulting in the rise in popularity of laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy. A new society, The Pelvic Floor Society, was formed in 2007 with an inclusive membership for all healthcare professionals working to improve outcomes for patients with pelvic floor disorders, focusing on education, training, research, clinical governance and information sharing. However, there are always risks associated with surgery and for patients with functional disorders, anatomically correction did not always result in functional improvements and some experienced adverse consequences from these treatments.
I will be exploring the history of pelvic floor surgery over the last two decades; from its meteoric rise in innovation and use of novel devices for pelvic floor disorders; to the monumental pause for some incontinence procedures and adoption of high vigilance for some of our abdominal prolapse procedures; the findings of an Independent Safety Review investigation “First Do No Harm” commissioned by government; and the future and the need for a holistic multi-disciplinary team approach for treating patients with pelvic floor disorders.