Outcomes and complications of laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To report whether operative time, intraoperative complications, and rate of conversion to laparotomy decreased after physicians had acquired an additional 4years experience with laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH).


METHODS
Group 1 (n=462) included the women who underwent LAVH from May 1, 1994 to December 31, 1997, and group 2 (n=583) included those who underwent LAVH from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2001.


RESULTS
The mean duration of surgery in groups 1 and 2 was 146 and 114 min, respectively, and the difference was significant (P<0.0001). The overall complication rate in the last 4years of the study was 7.1%, which was significantly lower than the 13.4% calculated for the first 4years (P=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Operative time as well as rates of surgical complications and conversion to laparotomy decreased with increased surgeon experience at performing LAVH.
Seow
Kok-Min
KM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Tsou
Chung-Tsung
CT
Lin
Yu-Hung
YH
Hwang
Jiann-Loung
JL
Tsai
Yieh-Loong
YL
Huang
Lee-Wen
LW
D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007045:Hysterectomy, Vaginal / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome