Panhysterectomy without vaginal cleansing

Abstract

I N MANY gynecologic clinics special precautions are taken to cleanse and sterilize the vagina preliminary to panhysterectomy. Many operators have> attributed the abscncc of operative infection in their cases to this procedure. In this clinic -for man;ryears it, has been the practice to consider the vagina potentially inl’ected and any complete sterilization impossible. Besides their presence in Ihe vaginal secretions, organisms may bc found below the surface between cells. The qontinuous est,rasion of secret.ions from the cervix, and the peculiar anatomic configuration of the vagina with its many folds are some of the factors which make it impossible actually to sterilize the vagina. Therefor<,, in this Clinic, abdominal panhyst,erectomies are performed without any vaginal preparation. Since we consider the vagina IO be a septic focus, we believe it is wischr to adopt measures of isolation of the said focus rather than trust. to it necessarily imperfect st.erilizat.ion. The method we use to meet this aim will he made clc;~r in the techniqma.