Publication:

Comparison of vaginal hysterectomy and laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy in women with benign uterine disease: a retrospective study

Background Nowadays, there is a trend in favour of (laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy) LAVH even for patients in whom (vaginal hysterectomy) VH is feasible. Hence, this study is undertaken to compare the efficacy of LAVH and the traditional vaginal hysterectomy for the treatment of benign uterine disease and also to find out the advantage of LAVH over VH.

Methods The study population consists of patients who had undergone hysterectomy for benign uterine disease excluding prolapse of uterus. Medical records of patients who had undergone vaginal hysterectomy (50) and LAVH (50) without any medical illness and without previous surgical history (except sterilisation) were collected. Age, parity, indication for hysterectomy, operative time, intra operative and postoperative complications and duration of hospital stay were noted and compared between the two groups.

Results The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the VH group (83.7min) than in the LAVH group (128.7 min) and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.000). Total hospital stay was significantly longer in the VH group (7.1days) when compared to the LAVH group (4.9days) and the difference was found to be statistically significant (p<0.000). There were no intraoperative complications noted in both the groups. There was no significant difference in the minor postoperative complications (fever and spotting per vaginum) between the two groups.

Conclusions This study shows lesser operative time in VH group when compared to LAVH group and there is no added advantage in performing LAVH other than shorter hospital stay. Hence it is concluded that whenever feasible VH should be the preferred route of hysterectomy.