Trend and variability in open and laparoscopic hysterectomies for patients with benign disease: a retrospective cohort study.

AIM: The aim of the present analysis on a regional hospital database was to ascertain the variability and 5-year trends of hysterectomy rates and the different surgical approaches used.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Veneto Region (North-East Italy), based on administrative data collected in 6 years, from 2009 to 2014.

RESULTS: Our study showed an overall decline in the hospitalization rates for hysterectomy from 197.5 to 165.8/100 000 and shorter overall hospital stays for this procedure (from 5.5 to 4.5 days). During the six years analyzed, there was an overall increase in the use of laparoscopic surgery (from 28% to 35% of cases). There was also a marked variability within the region considered in terms of the hysterectomy rates and the type of procedure performed.

CONCLUSIONS: The unwarranted variability in the rates of elective surgical procedures, and the techniques used to perform them, could be monitored by analyzing electronic hospital records.