Does surgical volume influence short-term outcomes of laparoscopic hysterectomy?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether surgical volume has an impact on short-term outcomes of laparoscopic hysterectomy.


METHODS
This is a retrospective analysis of 1016 laparoscopic hysterectomies.


RESULTS
The surgeons were divided into 2 groups based on a cutoff of 30 cases. Patient characteristics, the rates of laparotomy (4.5% vs 6.7%), and serious complications (3.6% vs 5.5%) were similar between 9 "high" and the remaining 39 "low volume" gynecologists, respectively (P < .05). Mean operating time was longer in the "low volume" group. Compared with their first 29 hysterectomies, the "high volume" surgeons decreased their operating time significantly in their subsequent cases. The "high volume" surgeons improved their conversion rate (9.2% vs 2.4%; P < .0001) over time but not their serious complications.


CONCLUSIONS
In laparoscopic hysterectomy, increasing the surgical volume can reduce the operating time and the risk for conversion to laparotomy but not the rate of serious complications.
Tunitsky
Elena
E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baystate Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Springfield, MA, USA.
Citil
Ayse
A
Ayaz
Reyhan
R
Esin
Sertac
S
Knee
Alexander
A
Harmanli
Oz
O
D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors