title: Pelvic abnormalities in hysterectomized patients-role of early postoperative ultrasonographic evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the incidence of post-hysterectomy pelvic fluid collection in the early postoperative period and to study its natural history.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, prospective, observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample comprised 36 consecutive patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign conditions in our department. All patients underwent two pelvic ultrasonographic examinations, the first on the third postoperative day and the second one year later. All postoperative complications were thoroughly evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two patients completed the study evaluations. Abnormal ultrasonographic findings were detected in 4 of them on the early postoperative scan. Three (9.4% of the sample) had pelvic fluid collections which persisted on the follow-up scan. The fourth patient had a simple ovarian cyst 4 cm in diameter which disappeared on follow-up. None of the patients with pelvic fluid collections had a febrile morbidity during the postoperative course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transvaginal ultrasonography can detect asymptomatic early postoperative pelvic fluid collections and enables conservative management, thereby reducing patients stress, medical costs, and the need for unnecessary interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pardo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orvieto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yitzhak
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mashiah
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schoenfeld
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ben-Rafael
mesh_terms: D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography