Morbidity outcomes of 78,577 hysterectomies for benign reasons over 23 years.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association of the method of hysterectomy for benign reasons with morbidity outcomes in Western Australia after taking other demographic, social and health-related factors into account.


METHODS
Population-based retrospective observational study.


METHODS
All hospitals in Western Australia where hysterectomies were performed from 1981 to 2003.


METHODS
All women aged 20 years or older who underwent a hysterectomy for benign reasons.


METHODS
Logistic and zero-truncated negative binomial regression analysis of record-linked administrative health data.


METHODS
Relative odds of experiencing complications during the hysterectomy admission or readmission and relative length of stay in hospital by type of hysterectomy.


RESULTS
There were 78,577 hysterectomies performed for benign reasons from 1981 to 2003. Procedure-related haemorrhage (2.4%) was the most commonly recorded complication, followed by genitourinary disorders (1.9%), infection (1.6%) and urinary tract infections (1.6%). Vaginal hysterectomy was associated with reduced odds of infection and haemorrhage compared with abdominal procedures during the hysterectomy admission. Readmission rates increased from 5.4% in 1981-84 to 7.2% in 2000-03 as average length of stay decreased by 53% over the same time period. Women who underwent laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomies and vaginal hysterectomies had increased odds of readmission for haemorrhage and genitourinary disorders compared with abdominal hysterectomy. Young age, increasing number of co-morbid conditions and having a complication at hysterectomy admission were also associated with increased odds of readmission.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings identify women at risk of readmission following hysterectomy and highlight an opportunity to modify early discharge and patient follow-up practices to reduce this risk.
Spilsbury
K
K
Centre for Population Health Research, School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. katrina.spilsbury@curtin.edu.au
Hammond
I
I
Bulsara
M
M
Semmens
J B
JB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult