The use of pelvic organ prolapse surgery declined in the US from 2010-2013, regardless of mesh use, a recent study found. The retrospective cohort examined private claims from 3 insurance providers for inpatient and outpatient prolapse procedures. Primary outcomes were change in utilization or prolapse procedures, with and without mesh, before and after the July 2011 FDA communication. Secondary outcomes were the changes in payment and reimbursements for these procedures. Researchers found:

• Utilization of prolapse procedures decreased from 12.3 to 9.7 per 10,000 women-years with a decrease of 30.7% in number of mesh procedures and 16.6% for nonmesh procedures.
• Quarterly utilization of mesh procedures was increasing before the FDA communication and then significantly declined.
• Inpatient utilization decreased 52.2, whereas outpatient utilization increased 18.5% during the study period.