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Pelvic Organ ProlapseMICRONCT03841513

Minimally Invasive Burch Colposuspension to Reduce Occult Stress Incontinence

A study testing Laparoscopic Burch Colposuspension in people with Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Urinary Incontinence,Stress, run by Northwestern University at 2 sites in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study evaluates the addition of a laparoscopic Burch colposuspension procedure at the time of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy to prevent stress urinary incontinence. Half of the participants will undergo Burch colposuspension procedure at the time of sacrocolpopexy, and half of the participants will undergo… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older, women only
What is being tested?
Laparoscopic Burch Colposuspension
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
50 participants
Where
2 sitesUnited States
Study dates
29 Jan 2019to 27 Sep 2022
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • English or Spanish speaking and reading
  • Symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse with any compartment at or beyond the hymen
  • Stress-continent, as defined as response of "no" to question 17 of PFDI-20: "Do you usually experience urine leakage related to coughing, sneezing, or laughing?", as well as a negative empty supine stress test.
  • Planning laparoscopic or robotic sacrocolpopexy, with or without hysterectomy
  • Have completed childbearing

Who cannot join

  • Adults unable to consent
  • Pregnant women or patients desiring future pregnancy
  • Patients undergoing uterine sparing surgery
  • Individuals under age 18
  • Prior procedure for stress urinary incontinence
  • Prior retropubic surgery

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

United States2 sites
  • Northwestern University Prentice Women's Hospital

    Chicago, Illinois, 60611

  • Loyola University Hospital

    Maywood, Illinois, 60153

Other trials in United States

About this study

This study evaluates the addition of a laparoscopic Burch colposuspension procedure at the time of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy to prevent stress urinary incontinence. Half of the participants will undergo Burch colposuspension procedure at the time of sacrocolpopexy, and half of the participants will undergo sacrocolpopexy alone.

Read the detailed description

In the United States it is estimated that 13% of women will undergo surgery for POP by age 80. In patients without symptoms of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), surgical correction of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) by itself can result in postoperative occult SUI. Two multicenter randomized trials of stress-continent women undergoing vaginal or open prolapse surgery showed lower rates of postoperative SUI if patients undergo concomitant anti-incontinence procedures. However, adverse outcomes vary based on the type of anti-incontinence procedure (open Burch colposuspension or retropubic midurethral sling) and route of surgery (open or vaginal), and therefore the preferred approach to address occult SUI is unknown.

Sacrocolpopexy is the gold standard surgical repair of pelvic organ prolapse of the apical compartment. The Burch colposuspension is a retropubic procedure in which the periurethral tissue of the anterior vagina is affixed to Cooper's ligament on either side using permanent suture bridges. In the Colpopexy and Urinary Reduction Efforts (CARE) trial patients without preoperative symptoms of SUI were randomized to receive or not to receive concomitant prophylactic Burch colposuspension at the time of abdominal sacrocolpopexy. At three months, the subjects who underwent the Burch procedure were found to have lower rates of SUI after surgery (33.6%) compared to the control group (57.4%). Furthermore, of patients who tested negative for SUI on preoperative urodynamic testing, 22.9 % of those who underwent the Burch procedure had SUI compared to 47.9% in the control group. Burch colposuspension did not increase the rate of urinary retention, urge incontinence, urinary urgency, urinary tract infection, intra or post-operative complications. The data in this trial supported the placement of prophylactic Burch colposuspension at the time of abdominal sacrocolpopexy.

Over the last decade, there has been a shift away from open routes of surgical access secondary to decreased morbidity and quicker recovery associated with minimally invasive procedures. As a result, open abdominal sacrocolpopexy with Burch colposuspension has fallen out of favor, and minimally invasive laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy is performed with greater frequency. Additionally, midurethral slings (MUS) have become the gold standard surgical procedure for the treatment of SUI and are performed more frequently than Burch colposuspension at the time of prolapse surgery. The Outcomes Following Vaginal Prolapse Repair and Midurethral Sling (OPUS) study examined the placement of prophylactic MUS at the time of vaginal prolapse surgery. Patients with MUS had lower rates of SUI than control group at 3 months (23.6% vs 49.4%) and at 12 months (27.3% vs 43%). However, unlike the CARE trial, patients with concomitant anti-incontinence procedure had higher rates of adverse events including bladder perforation (6.7% vs 0%), UTI (31.0% vs 18.3%), major bleeding (3.1% vs 0%), and incomplete bladder emptying at 6 weeks (3.7% vs 0%). In addition, MUS carries the risk of mesh erosion into the vagina or urinary tract.

By studying the addition of laparoscopic (including robotic) Burch colposuspension to laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy, the investigators anticipate optimizing surgical outcomes and minimizing complications for patients.

Being tested
Laparoscopic Burch Colposuspension
Keywords
Burch Colposuspension, Sacrocolpopexy, Laparoscopy, Robotic Surgery
Medical subject headings
Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Urinary Incontinence, Stress, Urinary Incontinence, Urge, Intestinal Diseases, Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Laparoscopic Burch ColposuspensionProcedure or surgery

    The Burch Colposuspension is an anti-incontinence procedure where non-absorbable monofilament suture is used in the retropubic space to form a suture bridge between the anterior vagina and Cooper's ligament, thereby gently elevating the anterior vaginal wall and providing urethral support.

Study groups in NCT03841513
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
ControlNo interventionPatients in this arm will undergo standard laparoscopic or robotic sacrocolpopexy, without the addition of a laparoscopic/robotic Burch colposuspension
Laparoscopic Burch ColposuspensionActive comparatorPatients in this arm will undergo standard laparoscopic or robotic sacrocolpopexy, with the addition of a laparoscopic/robotic Burch colposuspension
Receives: Procedure: Laparoscopic Burch Colposuspension

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Number of Participants With Stress Urinary Incontinence

    Rate of Stress Urinary Incontinence, as defined as a participant satisfying one or more of the following:

    • A positive retro-fill cough stress test at 300mL
    • Answer of "yes" to question #17 of Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory 20 (PFDI-20)
    • Any treatment for stress urinary incontinence after the study surgery

    Measured: 3 months following study intervention

Secondary outcomes (8)
  1. Number of Participants With Urinary Urgency Incontinence

    Rate of Urgency Urinary Incontinence, as defined as a participant satisfying one or more of the following:

    • Answer of "yes" to question #16 of Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory 20 (PFDI-20)
    • Any treatment for urgency urinary incontinence after the study surgery

    Measured: 3 months following study intervention

  2. Number of Participate With Urinary Frequency

    Values based on response of "moderately" or "quite a bit" to Question #15 of PFDI-20: "Do you usually experience frequent urination?"

    Measured: 3 months following study intervention

  3. Number of Participants With Urinary Retention

    Rate of Urinary Retention, defined as a post void residual greater than 150 mL obtained via straight catheterization

    Measured: 3 months following study intervention

  4. Number of Participants With Urinary Tract Infection

    Rate of Urinary Tract Infection, defined as a positive urine culture obtained from a straight catheterized urine specimen, from participants with symptoms of urinary tract infection (fever, dysuria, urinary urgency, urinary frequency).

    Measured: 3 months following study intervention

  5. Pelvic Organ Prolapse Symptoms

    Compare Pelvic Organ Prolapse Symptoms utilizing the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory 20 (PFDI-20), questions #1-6. Participants respond to each question on a scale of 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater dysfunction. The sum of scores is reported for this subscale, with a minimum score of 0 and maximum score of 24.

    Measured: 3 months following study intervention

  6. Bowel Symptoms

    Compare Bowel Symptoms utilizing the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory 20 (PFDI-20), questions #7-14. Participants respond to each question on a scale of 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater dysfunction. The sum of scores is reported for this subscale, with a minimum score of 0 and maximum score of 32.

    Measured: 3 months following study intervention

  7. Sexual Function

    Compare Sexual Function utilizing the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire 12 (PISQ-12). Participants respond to each question on a scale of 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater dysfunction. The sum of scores is reported for this subscale, with a minimum score of 0 and maximum score of 48.

    Measured: 3 months following study intervention

  8. Number of Participants With Surgical Complication

    Compare rate of intraoperative and short-term surgical complications, as defined by the Dindo classification system.

    Measured: 3 months following study intervention

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted15 Feb 2019
  2. Study start29 Jan 2019
  3. Primary completion27 Sep 2022
  4. Study completion27 Sep 2022

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Enrolled subjects will be assigned to one of two treatment groups with equal probability. A randomly permuted blocked randomization schema will be generated and maintained by a statistician not otherwise involved in the study.
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
50 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03841513
Sponsor's protocol ID
STU00208016
Acronym
MICRO
Status last verified
Aug 2025
First submitted
23 Jan 2019
Last updated
26 Aug 2025
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Wu JM, Matthews CA, Conover MM, Pate V, Jonsson Funk M. Lifetime risk of stress urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse surgery. Obstet Gynecol. 2014 Jun;123(6):1201-1206. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000000286.

    PubMed 24807341
  • Brubaker L, Cundiff GW, Fine P, Nygaard I, Richter HE, Visco AG, Zyczynski H, Brown MB, Weber AM; Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. Abdominal sacrocolpopexy with Burch colposuspension to reduce urinary stress incontinence. N Engl J Med. 2006 Apr 13;354(15):1557-66. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa054208.

    PubMed 16611949
  • Wei JT, Nygaard I, Richter HE, Nager CW, Barber MD, Kenton K, Amundsen CL, Schaffer J, Meikle SF, Spino C; Pelvic Floor Disorders Network. A midurethral sling to reduce incontinence after vaginal prolapse repair. N Engl J Med. 2012 Jun 21;366(25):2358-67. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1111967.

    PubMed 22716974
  • Geller EJ, Siddiqui NY, Wu JM, Visco AG. Short-term outcomes of robotic sacrocolpopexy compared with abdominal sacrocolpopexy. Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Dec;112(6):1201-1206. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e31818ce394.

    PubMed 19037026
  • Hsiao KC, Latchamsetty K, Govier FE, Kozlowski P, Kobashi KC. Comparison of laparoscopic and abdominal sacrocolpopexy for the treatment of vaginal vault prolapse. J Endourol. 2007 Aug;21(8):926-30. doi: 10.1089/end.2006.0381.

    PubMed 17867956
  • Paraiso MF, Walters MD, Rackley RR, Melek S, Hugney C. Laparoscopic and abdominal sacral colpopexies: a comparative cohort study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2005 May;192(5):1752-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2004.11.051.

    PubMed 15902189

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Laparoscopic Burch Colposuspension in people with Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Urinary Incontinence,Stress, run by Northwestern University at 2 sites in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 26 Aug 2025). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Number of Participants With Stress Urinary Incontinence (time frame: 3 months following study intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03841513, which also lists 6 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Aug 2025.

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