title: A retrospective evaluation of early carcinoma of the cervix treated surgically in a Provincial General Hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the safety of Wertheim-Meigs hysterectomy for stage I and IIA carcinoma of the cervix performed at a Provincial General Hospital in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 16 cases managed from January 1992 to March 1993.
  
  
  METHODS
  Provincial General Hospital in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with either stage I or IIA carcinoma of the cervix were subjected to Wertheim-Meigs hysterectomy. All patients opted for surgery over radiotherapy when given the choice. Complications within the first 60 days were retrospectively analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immediate operative mortality was nil, although two patients had massive haemorrhage during surgery. Injury to the pelvic colon occurred in one patient. Post-operative pyrexia (n = 16), persistent oozing from suction drains (n = 4), prolonged ileus (n = 6) and bladder dysfunction (n = 4) were the immediate post-operative complications. Average post-operative stay in the hospital was 12 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early carcinoma of the cervix treated by Wertheim-Meigs hysterectomy carries a low incidence of immediate post-operative mortality and morbidity when performed with the resources available at a Provincial General Hospital.
authors.affiliation: General Hospital, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Weerasekera
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Gunawardena
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006780:Hospitals, Rural; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013188:Sri Lanka; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*