title: Sonographic assessment of the vaginal vault following hysterectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A prospective study to determine the sonographic appearance of the vaginal vault following hysterectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A transvaginal sonographic examination of the vaginal vault on the third postoperative day. Follow-up to determine the incidence of postoperative morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An accurate sonographic examination of the vaginal vault was possible in 66/71 cases (92.9%). Fluid collections were visible in 28/66 cases (42.4%), and measured up to 41.1 cm2 in the transverse plane and 30.2 cm2 in the sagittal plane. There was no correlation between the presence of a collection and indices of postoperative morbidity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collections of fluid at the vaginal vault are common after hysterectomy, but do not usually contribute to postoperative morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, New Territories.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Haines
authors.forename: Y O
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D015994:Incidence; D009017:Morbidity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014621:Vagina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*