Laparoscopic Devascularization of Uterine Myomata Followed by Enucleation of the Myomas by Direct Morcellation

Abstract

Most intraoperative conversions of laparoscopic myomectomy to laparotomy reported in the literature occur because of intraoperative bleeding. Devascularization of a uterine myoma at the start of myomectomy would help reduce the blood supply to the uterus and hence to the myoma. Another advantage of the procedure is that the need to separate the myoma from the uterus completely before morcellation, as in conventional laparoscopic myomectomy, is obviated. The tumor can be enucleated only up to about half its circumference by standard enucleation before morcellation is begun. Traction accorded by the 15-mm traumatic serrated-edge claw forceps of the morcellator during morcellation causes progressive separation of the myoma from the uterine wall, thus completing enucleation. In two patients, myomas were devascularized at the outset of myomectomy, in one by intracorporeal suturing of uterine vessels and in the other by laparoscopic bipolar coagulation of uterine vessels.