Abdominal, vaginal and total laparoscopic hysterectomy: perioperative morbidity

The aim of our retrospective study was to assess and to compare the surgical complications of hysterectomy regarding the choice of procedure [abdominal (AH), vaginal (VH), and total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH)]. A total of 6,480 patient charts undergone hysterectomy were retrospectively analyzed. Data including transfusion, bladder, ureteral and bowel injury, cuff dehiscence, pulmoner embolus, febrile morbidity, hematoma, reoperation, pelvic wall problems were gathered. The Chi-square test and Student's t test were used in the statistical analysis. The most common perioperative complication was blood transfusion which occurred in 114 patients (2.6%). VH patients required significantly less blood transfusion than AH (2.1, 2.6%, respectively). AH had significantly more bladder injury than VH (0.7, 0.4%, respectively). AH had significantly more ureteral injury than VH (0.2, 0.1%, respectively). AH had the same bowel injury as VH (0.1%). AH and VH necessitated significantly more reoperation than TLH (0.4, 0.2, 0.0%, respectively). To our study, VH ensures less complication rates than AH. In experienced centers, VH can be a reliable alternative to AH. Controlled prospective studies with large patient volumes are required to compare TLH and VH according to complication rates.