title: Laparoscopic myomectomy in African-American women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of laparoscopic myomectomy in an ethnic group with a statistically increased frequency of uterine leiomyomata.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private practice of one surgeon, and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one consecutive African-American women who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy and were followed for 12 to 26 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  The women received a modified protocol for gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment before laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopic myomectomies were performed under general anesthesia using energy sources of monopolar and bipolar electrosurgery and ultrasonic coagulation-cutting (harmonic scalpel).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy percent (70%, 29 women) of procedures were completed on an outpatient basis. Twelve patients were hospitalized for an average of 1.3 days. No significant operative or postoperative complications occurred, and none of the women required blood transfusions or readmission. The conversion rate was zero. Forty patients (91%) reported complete resolution or significant reduction of their symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Outpatient laparoscopic myomectomy is safe and effective in African-American women with symptomatic uterine leiomyomata of 20 weeks' size or less.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rush Medical College, Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center, 1725 West Harrison, Suite 155, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Stringer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D044383:Black People; D001835:Body Weight; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D001741:Black or African American
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide