title: Morbidity associated with vaginal hysterectomies in Queensland public teaching hospitals.
abstract: Hysterectomies performed vaginally are associated with less perioperative risk than those performed abdominally but the risk is not negligible. There are little sizable and/or contemporary Australian data of adverse outcomes associated with vaginal hysterectomy available. A retrospective analysis was undertaken in each of five Queensland public teaching hospitals of the last 200 women in each centre who underwent a vaginal hysterectomy for benign reasons. Serious morbidity complicated 14.0% of vaginal hysterectomies, minor morbidity was associated with 24.0% of hysterectomies and, overall, 29.9% suffered any (ie serious or minor) morbidity. Following multivariate analysis there remained an association between serious perioperative morbidity and ASA > or = 2 (relative risk (RR) 1.89 (1.37-2.61)) and omission of prophylactic antibiotics (RR 2.0 (1.45-2.78)). There also remained an association between any morbidity and use of antidepressants (RR 1.35 (1.07-1.72)), epilepsy (RR 2.00 (136-2.95)), preoperative hypoalbuminaemia (albumin < or = 35 g/L RR 2.08 (1.33-3.24)) as well as ASA > or = 2 (RR 1.24 (1.00-1.54)) and omission of prophylactic antibiotics (RR 1.45 (1.18-1.79)).
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bundaberg Base Hospital, Queensland, Australia. michael_beckmann@mater.org.au
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.forename: Cliff
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neppe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007045:Hysterectomy, Vaginal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011793:Queensland; D012189:Retrospective Studies