Vaginal hysterectomy for benign disorders in obese women: a prospective study.

Rafii, Arash; Samain, Emmanuel; Levardon, Michel; Darai, Emile; Deval, Bruno

To compare the morbidity of vaginal hysterectomy in obese and non-obese women in a single institution.Obese and non-obese women with benign uterine disorders matched for age, parity and race underwent vaginal hysterectomy without laparoscopic assistance. Peri-operative outcome complications were compared. Thirty-eight women had a BMI over 30 kg/m2 (study group) and 178 women had a BMI below 30 kg/m2 (control group).Gynaecologic department of a university hospital.Women who were referred to our department with an indication of vaginal hysterectomy for benign disorders.Case control study.Peri-operative complications, the fall in the haemoglobin concentration, the duration of the procedure, the length of the hospital stay and uterine weight were analysed.Mean BMI was 33.2 and 23.7 kg/m2 in the study and control groups, respectively. None of the obese women had severe co-morbidity contraindicating surgery. There were no significant differences in surgical or anaesthetic risk factors, including parity, hormonal status, pre-existing disease and estimated mean uterine weight. The overall complication rates were 14% and 16% in the obese and non-obese groups, respectively (P= 0.7). Obesity did not increase the duration of the procedure (48 [7] minutesvs50 [10] minutes,P= 0.1) or the length of hospitalisation (5.8 [1.4] daysvs5.5 [1.2] days,P= 0.2).Vaginal hysterectomy can be successfully performed, with acceptable morbidity, in obese women.

VAGINAL hysterectomy; HYSTERECTOMY; STERILIZATION of women; UTERINE surgery; OVERWEIGHT women; UTERINE diseases

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 2005, Vol 112, Issue 2, p223

1470-0328

Academic Journal

10.1111/j.1471-0528.2005.00563.x