Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy in Patients with Large Uteri: Comparison of Uterine Removal by Transvaginal and Uterine Morcellation Approaches

Nomogram for predicting difficult total laparoscopic hysterectomy: A multi-institutional, retrospective model development and validation study

BACKGROUND

Total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) is the most commonly performed gynecological surgery. However, the difficulty of the operation varies depending on the patient and surgeon. Subsequently, patient's outcomes and surgical efficiency are affected. We aimed to develop and validate a pre-operative nomogram to predict the operative difficulty in patients undergoing TLH.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 663 patients with TLH from XXX Hospital and 102 patients from YYY Hospital in Chongqing, China. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent predictors of operative difficulty, and a nomogram was constructed. The performance of the nomogram was validated internally and externally.

RESULTS

The uterine weight, history of pelvic surgery, presence of adenomyosis, surgeon's years of practice, and annual hysterectomy volume were identified as significant independent predictors of operative difficulty. The nomogram demonstrated good discrimination in the training dataset (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.827 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.783-0.872), internal validation dataset (AUC, 0.793 [95% CI, 0.714-0.872]), and external validation dataset (AUC, 0.756 [95% CI, 0.658-0.854]). The calibration curves showed good agreement between the predictions and observations for both internal and external validations.

CONCLUSION

The developed nomogram accurately predicted the operative difficulty of TLH, facilitated pre-operative planning and patient counseling, and optimized surgical training. Further prospective multicenter clinical studies are required to optimize and validate this model.

Comparison of perioperative surgical outcomes between contained and free manual vaginal morcellation of large uteruses following total laparoscopic hysterectomy

OBJECTIVE

To compare contained and free manual vaginal morcellation of large uteruses after total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) in women at low risk of uterine malignancy in terms of feasibility and safety.

METHODS

A single-center, observational, retrospective, cohort study was carried out including all patients undergoing TLH requiring manual vaginal morcellation for specimen extraction of large uteruses from January 2015 to August 2021 at the Division of Gynecology and Human Reproduction Physiopathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. Patients were divided into two groups according to the type of manual vaginal morcellation (contained or free), and compared in terms of demographic, clinical, and perioperative data.

RESULTS

In all, 271 patients were included: 186 (68.6%) in the contained morcellation group and 85 (31.4%) in the free morcellation group. The mean operative time was significantly lower in the contained morcellation group compared with the free morcellation group (median [interquartile range] 130 [45] vs. 155 [60] min; P < 0.001). No significant difference was found in complications related to the morcellation step, overall, intraoperative and postoperative complications, estimated blood loss, length of hospital stays, uterine weight, and rate of occult malignancy between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Contained vaginal manual morcellation of the uterus after total laparoscopic hysterectomy using a specimen retrieval bag appears to be a safe procedure with significantly lower operative time than free vaginal manual morcellation.

A new knotless parametrial tissue ligation technique for safe total laparoscopic hysterectomy

OBJECTIVE

Parametrial tissue ligation during total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) is important in large uteri with large vessels.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed at Asan Medical Center for comparing TLH performed with a new knotless parametrial tissue ligation method and conventional laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) from March 2019 to August 2021. For TLH, after anterior colpotomy, the parametrial tissue was ligated by anchoring the suture and making a loop in one direction three times using 1-0 V-LocTM 180 (Covidien, Mansfield, MA, USA) suture. Subsequently, the cranial part of the loop was cut using an endoscopic device.

RESULTS

A total of 119 and 178 patients were included in the TLH and LAVH groups, respectively. The maximal diameter of the uterus was larger in the TLH group (106.29±27.16 cm) than in the LAVH group (99.00±18.92 cm, P=0.01). The change in hemoglobin (Hb) level was greater in the LAVH group than in the TLH group (P<0.001). The weight of the removed uterus was greater in the TLH group than in the LAVH group (431.95±394.97 vs. 354.94±209.52 g; P=0.03). However, when the uterine weight was >1,000 g, the operative times and change in Hb levels were similar between the two groups. In both groups, no ureteral complications occurred during or after surgery.

CONCLUSION

Knotless parametrial tissue ligation using 1-0 V-LocTM 180 suture in TLH can be safely applied, even in cases with large uteri, without increased risks of ureteral injury or uterine bleeding.

Historical perspective of vaginal hysterectomy: the resilience of art and evidence-based medicine in the age of technology

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe, from a historical perspective, the relevance, resilience and outcomes of vaginal hysterectomy (VH) in gynecology in the age of technological scenario.

METHODS

The authors searched records from January 2011 to January 2021 on the following databases: Medline, EMBASE, and CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library) for combinations of the terms "vaginal hysterectomy," "outcomes" AND "history"; and before that period, if the search had historical relevance.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

randomized clinical trials; hysterectomy performed for benign gynecological conditions; and VH outcomes compared with Abdominal Hysterectomy (AH), Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (LH) or Robotic Hysterectomy (RH).

RESULTS

The VH combines sequences of reproducible techniques which have been developed over the years to safely and effectively overcome the limitations of difficult cases of vaginal extirpation from the uterus.

CONCLUSION

The authors support endoscopic surgical approaches in complex surgery for benign indications, urogynecology, and gynecologic oncology when appropriate. However, what makes the gynecological surgeon different from the general surgeon is the vaginal access. It is essential to continue to train residents in vaginal surgical skills and provide safe and cost-effective patient care. The art of technology is the resilience of keeping only the patient at the center of innovation.

A comparative analysis of nondescent vaginal hysterectomy, laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy, and total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign uterine diseases at a rural tertiary care center

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to compare operative data and postoperative complications among nondescent vaginal hysterectomy (NDVH), laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH), and total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) at a rural tertiary care center.

Materials and Methods:

This is a prospective analytical study, of 145 hysterectomies for benign conditions with or without salpingo-oophorectomy in women from 30 to 60 years, over 3 years from January 2016 to December 2019, with 60 cases of NDVH, 46 cases of LAVH, and 39 cases of TLH. The three groups were compared intraoperatively in terms of blood loss, operating time, and intraoperative complications and postoperative complications and postoperative duration of hospital stay.

Results:

There was no significant difference between the three groups in terms of age, parity, body mass index, and indications for hysterectomies. The mean operative time was significantly shorter (P = 0.000) in the NDVH group (54.67 ± 15.67 min) as compared to the LAVH (102.45 ± 10.53 min) and TLH (126.79 ± 8.7 min) groups. Intraoperative blood loss was greater (P = 0.000) in the TLH group (111.025 mL ± 20.8) as compared to the NDVH (59.50 mL ± 16.7) and LAVH (91.85 mL ± 10.66) groups. The intraoperative complications and postoperative complications were higher in the TLH group as compared to the LAVH and NDVH groups. The duration of hospital stay was almost similar in all the groups.

Conclusion:

NDVH may be the preferred approach for experienced surgeons, as it is less time-consuming, has a small amount of blood loss, and is a scarless surgery, whereas LAVH and TLH may be the preferred approaches in the cases of presence of adnexal masses and adhesions or whenever salpingo-oophorectomy is indicated.

Uterine Arteriovenous Malformation: A Pictorial Review of Diagnosis and Management

Uterine arteriovenous malformation (UAVM) is a rare condition and is classified as either congenital or acquired UAVM. Patients with UAVMs usually experience miscarriages or recurrent menorrhagia. Ultrasound is used for the initial estimation of UAVMs. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are noninvasive and valuable methods that provide good compatibility with digital subtraction angiography to support the diagnosis and treatment of UAVM. Timely diagnosis is crucial to provide appropriate treatment for alleviating complications. This article presents a pictorial and literature review of the current evidence of the diagnosis and management of UAVM.

Comparison between transumbilical and transvaginal morcellation of a large uterus during single-port-access total laparoscopic hysterectomy

Objective

To compare the perioperative outcomes of transumbilical morcellation (TUM) and transvaginal morcellation (TVM) of a large uterus (≥500 g) during single-port-access total laparoscopic hysterectomy (SPA-TLH).

Methods

A total of 57 patients who underwent SPA-TLH for a large uterine myoma and/or adenomyosis (uterine weight ≥500 g) between March 2013 and July 2017 were included. For specimen retrieval, TUM was performed for 30 patients and TVM for 27 patients.

Results

Perioperative outcomes, including total operative time, tissue extraction time, extension of skin incision length, estimated volume of blood loss, changes in postoperative hemoglobin level, length of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative pain, and uterine weight, were compared between the 2 groups. No significant differences were observed in the baseline characteristics except for a history of cesarean section (TUM vs. TVM: 83.3% vs. 14.8%, P=0.002) and history of vaginal delivery (TUM vs. TVM: 6.7% vs. 88.8%, P=0.001). The total operative time, tissue extraction time, extension of skin incision length, estimated volume of blood loss, changes in postoperative hemoglobin level, length of postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative pain did not significantly differ between the two groups. The uterine weight was significantly higher for patients who underwent TUM than for those who had TVM (median [range]: 735 g [520–1,380 g] vs. 622 g [514–975 g]; P=0.042).

Conclusion

TUM during SPA-TLH is a feasible technique for extracting large uteri weighing ≥500 g. This procedure is suitable for patients without a history of vaginal delivery or a narrow vaginal cavity.

Application of failure mode and effect analysis in total laparoscopic hysterectomy in benign conditions

BACKGROUND

Hysterectomy is the most common major gynecological operation in developed countries. The rate of intraoperative complications related to the laparoscopic approach during hysterectomy is a relevant issue. The failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) method is a prospective approach, which tries to identify possible errors before they occur.

METHODS

In this study we applied the FMEA method to laparoscopic approach to hysterectomy in order to reduce the theorized risk of intraoperative complications. We selected a team who analyzed and deconstructed the total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) process recording on the FMEA worksheet phases and activities of the entire procedure. Each activity-related failure mode and their potential effects were developed. The team also described actions to eliminate or decrease the likelihood of mistakes.

RESULTS

A numerical value reflecting the risk was assigned to each activity. Five activities were identified as high priority risk, and for each activity actions were then taken to mitigate the identified risk. After introduction of these actions, the risk scores for each activity were recalculated, and we obtained a total risk reduction of 55%.

CONCLUSIONS

It is our opinion that the systematic implementation of the FMEA model can reduce the risk of human error during laparoscopic surgery, improving patient safety.