Abstract
Objectives. A prospective study was carried out to compare vaginal hysterectomy (VH) and robotically assisted hysterectomy (RH) for benign gynecological disease. Materials and Methods. All patients who underwent hysterectomy from March 2010 to March 2012 for a benign disease were included. Patients' demographics per and post surgery results were collected from medical files. A questionnaire was also conducted 2 months after surgery. Results. Sixty patients were included in the RH group and thirty four in the VH one. Operative time was significantly longer in the RH group (132.1 ± 5.7 versus 75.3 ± 6.7 min; P < 0.0001). Blood loss and length of hospital stay were significantly reduced: 47 ± 7 versus 125 ± 20 ml; P < 0.01, and 2.4 ± 0.1 versus 3.3 ± 0.2 days; P < 0.0001, respectively. Less pain was reported at D1 and D2 by RH patients, and levels of analgesia were lower compared to those observed in the VH group. No differences were found regarding the rate of conversion to laparotomy, intra- or postoperative complications. Conclusion. Robotically assisted hysterectomy appears to reduce blood loss, postoperative pain, and length of hospital stay, but it is associated with longer operative time and higher cost. Specific indications for RH remain to be defined.
Highlights
Many techniques of hysterectomy are being used in the surgical treatment of benign gynecological disease
Patients were randomly classified into either group, except for those having Benjamin syndrome that were included in the robotically assisted hysterectomy (RH) arm
In the vaginal hysterectomy (VH) group, 2 patients underwent transfusion of 1 and 3 packed red blood cells and 1 had laparoconversion induced by hemorrhage
Summary
Many techniques of hysterectomy are being used in the surgical treatment of benign gynecological disease. VH does not leave scars and it can be used in obese patients It may be difficult in cases of enlarged uterus, nulliparous women, and in patients with pelvic adhesions; adnexectomy may fail in case of upper abdominal adnexal masses [2]. Total laparoscopic hysterectomy reduces blood loss and postoperative pain; it is easer to make adnexectomy and adhesiolysis and is feasible in nulliparous women [3]. Assisted VH allows performing adnexectomy and adhesiolysis in hysterectomic procedures ended by vaginal approach which simplifies the laparoscopic time; such procedure is associated with greater postoperative discomfort compared to vaginal procedure [4, 5]. Very few studies have compared the outcomes of robotically assisted hysterectomy (RH) and VH in benign gynecological disease. This paper presents our prospective comparison of these two approaches
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
