MINI LAPAROTOMY VERSUS CONVENTIONAL LAPAROTOMY FOR ABDOMINAL HYSTERECTOMY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Background: Less traumatizing measures for hysterectomies are searched for to improve the recovery from surgery. Aim: Comparison of minilaparotomy abdominal hysterectomy with conventional abdominal hysterectomy in respect to per-operative and post-operative outcome and complications. Setting and Design: In a medical college hospital patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy were enrolled. It was a concomitant comparative study. Methods and Material: We are presenting our comparative data of 100 cases of minilaparotomy abdominal hysterectomy (group I, incision =< 6 cm) performed over last 4 years from January 1998 to December 2002 and comparing the outcome with 99 cases of abdominal hysterectomy (group II, incision > 6 cm) done by traditional method over the same duration. Statistical analysis used: Chi-square and Fischer test with significance of p value being taken at 0.05 were used for categorical data, while student's t test was used for continuous data. Results: Mean age and parity of patients were similar in the two groups. Incision was transverse in 100% cases in-group I and 22.2% cases in-group II. Estimated blood loss was significantly higher (354 ml) in group II in contrast to group I (240 ml). Blood transfusion was also required more commonly (22.2%) in-group II than in-group I (9%). Mean operative time was significantly more in-group II (90 minutes) than in group I (41 minutes). Mean hospital stay, day of mobility, starting oral diet and days of injectable analgesics required were higher in group II than in group I. Major complications were rare in both the groups, but minor complications were significantly higher in group II (40.4%) than in group I (26%). Conclusion: Minilaparotomy abdominal hysterectomy appears to be an attractive alternative to traditional abdominal hysterectomy with fewer complications.