title: Laparoscopic hysterectomy. A preliminary study.
abstract: Thirty-three patients were selected for laparoscopic hysterectomy and operated on in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine of Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital. Surgical techniques included blunt dissection with scissors and bipolar coagulation to achieve hemostasis. A case was considered successful when all the uterine vessels were treated by laparoscopy. Twenty-four cases were completed laparoscopically (72.7%). None of these patients had postoperative bleeding; 22 had an uneventful postoperative recovery. Nine procedures were converted to laparotomy (27.3%), five because of a difficult or unsatisfactory hemostasis. We conclude that in selected cases, a total hysterectomy can be performed safely by experienced laparoscopists. Further technological progress is necessary to make this procedure more acceptable. Its value as compared to the others will have to be demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Polyclinique de l'Hotel Dieu, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mage
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chapron
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wattiez
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pouly
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bruhat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D001810:Blood Volume; D005260:Female; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D007045:Hysterectomy, Vaginal / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000601:surgery; D008796:Metrorrhagia / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged