Clinical Evaluation on 160 Cases of Laparoscopically Assisted Vaginal Hysterectomy (LAVH).

Objective: To report our clinical outcome on 160 cases of laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LAVH. Methods: From May, 1998 to April 2004, 160 patients were performed LAVH at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dankook University Hospital. We retrospectively analyzed the results with regard to age, parity, height, weight, previous operation history, preoperative indication, combined operation, operation time, uterine weight, change of hemoglobin, hospitalization, convert to total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), and complication. Results: The mean age was 44.636.79 years, The mean parity was 2.341.18. The common previous operations were tubal ligation (54%) and appendectomy (17%). The common preoperative indications were myoma (75%) and adenomyosis (10%). The most common combined operation was unilateral salpingoophorectomy (39%). The mean operation time was 97.8129.90 minutes, and the mean uterine weight was 215.5989.97 g. The mean hemoglobin change was 2.081.34 g/dL, and the mean hospitalization was 4.450.71 days. The complications were bladder injury (1 case), rectum injury (1 case), subcutaneous hematoma (2 cases), hemoperitoneum (1 case). Conclusion: LAVH is effective and safe alternative to TAH in many cases of gynecologic surgery. LAVH has been possible to replace TAH with improvement of surgical skill and laparoscopic instruments.