title: A comparative study of the cosmetic appeal of abdominal incisions used for hysterectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the cosmetic appeal of abdominal incisions used for hysterectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  St James's University Hospital, Leeds.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred women, including 50 consecutive women attending a gynaecology clinic for the first time and 50 hospital staff.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-eight percent of women preferred a Pfannenstiel incision as the incision of first choice, while 31% chose the laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy incisions (LAVH). When women who had undergone previous abdominal surgery were compared with women with no previous surgery, there was a significant difference in their choice (80% Pfannenstiel, 18% LAVH compared with 54% Pfannenstiel, 45% LAVH).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In gynaecological surgery there is already a cosmetically-favoured incision. One cannot assume that if a gynaecologist uses a minimally invasive surgical technique at hysterectomy that this will be cosmetically acceptable to the woman. Gynaecologists should not use cosmetic appeal in counselling women for LAVH and should concentrate on the other proven benefits of minimally invasive surgery.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Onwude
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Jarvis
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures