An evaluation of laparoscopic hysterectomy alone versus in combination with laparoscopic myomectomy for patients with uterine fibroids.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare surgical outcomes following conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) (C-LH) versus the combination method of LH plus laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) (LH+LM) for the treatment of large uterine fibroids.

STUDY DESIGN: This study was performed in 56 patients (uterine weights ≥500g) who underwent either C-LH or LH+LM performed by the same surgeon between May 2010 and May 2016. LH+LM was performed when C-LH was problematic because of poor visibility and/or mobility due to uterine fibroids.

RESULTS: The C-LH and LH+LM groups consisted of 27 (48%) and 29 (52%) patients, respectively. The clinical characteristics of patients differed significantly only in the median sizes of the dominant fibroid. The sizes of the dominant fibroid in the C-LH and LH+LM groups were 9.5cm and 10.7cm (P=0.04), respectively. Regarding the surgical outcomes for the C-LH and LH+LM groups, the median uterine weights were 558g and 737g (P=0.03), respectively, the median operating times were 156min and 173min (P=0.23), respectively, and the median intraoperative blood losses were 150g and 300g (P=0.0004), respectively. In all patients, LH was performed without conversion to laparotomy and there were no cases of bladder, ureteral, or gastrointestinal tract injury. There were no postoperative complications of Clavien-Dindo scale≥III in either group.

CONCLUSIONS: When C-LH cannot be performed because of large uterine fibroids that cause poor visibility and/or mobility, LH+LM may allow the procedure to be successfully completed without conversion to laparotomy. However, the latter approach increases the risk for intraoperative blood loss.