Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy versus abdominal hysterectomy in endometrial cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To see whether laparoscopy provides exact staging and effective treatment of endometrial cancer patients, compared with total abdominal hysterectomy, with shorter hospital stay, prompter recovery, and better quality of life.


METHODS
This retrospective study identified 110 patients scheduled for surgery for early-stage endometrial cancer. Fifty-five (50%) were treated by laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) and 55 (50%) by total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH). All patients underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy. The majority of patients (79%) had stage I disease.


RESULTS
The mean number of lymph nodes removed was 17 for the LAVH group and 18.5 for the TAH group (p = 0.294). Compared with TAH, LAVH required a significantly longer operating time (220 vs. 175 min; p < 0.01); but shorter hospital stay (4 vs. 8.5 days; p < 0.001) and less estimated blood loss (177 cm3 vs. 285 cm3; p = 0.02). Overall, there were fewer post-operative complications in the LAVH group (6 vs. 11 cases; p < 0.001). Three TAH patients (5.4%) had recurrence of disease. No LAVH patients had recurrences and all are currently disease-free.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest LAVH gives correct staging of endometrial disease, like TAH, but with fewer complications and a slightly longer operating time.
Frigerio
L
L
Obstetric Department, Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo, Italy. lfrigerio@ospedaliriuniti.bergamo.it
Gallo
A
A
Ghezzi
F
F
Trezzi
G
G
Lussana
M
M
Franchi
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods*; D007045:Hysterectomy, Vaginal / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome