Introduction: Despite evidence that the vaginal route of surgery is associated with fewer complications and faster recovery, more than two-thirds of hysterectomies are performed abdominally. Diagnostic and operative laparoscopy leads to an increasing number of hysterectomies performed vaginally, although laparoscopy may lead to serious complications. The object of the study was to evaluate the rational share of laparoscopy during laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy.
Method: 100 consecutive women subjected to hysterectomy were indicated for laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy. The procedures were performed by the same surgical team experienced in laparoscopy and vaginal route hysterectomy which evaluated the rational share of laparoscopy during laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy. The mean age of the patients was 48.1 years (range 34-71 years). 7 were nulliparae. 69 patients were indicated for operation due to myomas, 20 for the previous operation in the pelvic area, 6 for adnexal cystic masses, 5 for the associated indications. At the same time bilateral adenexectomy was performed in 74 patients. Uterine descensus was diagnosed in 9 patients preoperatively and the operations for stress urine incontinence were performed in 7 cases (Kelly-Stoeckel 4 and Pereyra 3 respectively). Ovarian vessels were coagulated by bipolar coagulation during laparoscopy and uterine vessels were ligated by the vaginal route.
Results: The uterus was extripated electively by the abdominal route in 2 patients after diagnostic laparoscopy (unfavourabl localised intraligamentous myoma, distended bowels after using Tractrium by the anestesiologist). Hysterectomy by the vaginal route was completed in 98 patients. The mean operation time was 80 minutes (range 55-180 minutes) and the mean operation time of the laparoscopic part of the operation was 35 minutes (range 25-45 minutes). The estimated blood loss was 300 ml (range 100-550 ml). In 2 patients lysis of dense pelvic adhesions during the laparoscopic part caused that the vaginal part of surgery was safe. 10 complications were encountered postoperatively (3 cases of bleeding from the vaginal vault and 1 from ovarian vessels respectively, 3 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease, 2 injuries of the urinary bladder were recognized and treated peroperatively and 1 case of stress urinary incontinence 10 weeks after hysterectomy).
Discussion: According to the literature a different extent of surgical laparoscopy in vaginal hysterectomy is possible. Nulliparity or uterine myomas are no contraindications for vaginal hysterectomy. The main contribution of surgical laparoscopy for vaginal hysterectomy consists in lysis of dense adhesions in the pelvic area and in evaluating or operating adnexal cystic masses. Other indications are controversial because of prolonging the operative time and general risks of diagnostic and surgical laparoscopy.
Conclusion: The main contribution of laparoscopy for the purposes of vaginal hysterectomy remains the assessment and treatment of dense pelvic adhesions or adnexal pathology rather than hysterectomy itself. Bipolar coagulation of ovarian vessels decreases the blood loss in cases of enucleation of morcellation of myoma(s) during the vaginal part of the operation.