title: Outpatient laparoscopic hysterectomy: evaluation of pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in patient pain postoperatively, comparing 2 types of outpatient hysterectomy procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a nonblind, nonrandomized, prospective study of surgeries performed at 1 ambulatory  surgery center by 1 surgeon over 14 months. Patient pain was assessed using a visual analog scale before and after laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy and total laparoscopic hysterectomy. Patients were followed through a 2-week postoperative period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen  laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomies and 17 total laparoscopic hysterectomies were performed. The 2 groups were similar in age, BMI, uterine weight, and surgical time. Comparing the 2 groups, there were no statistically significant differences in pain throughout any time points  of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were no statistically significant differences in pain during the postoperative period between the 2 groups. Outpatient hysterectomy is a safe procedure that may improve patient satisfaction surgically and financially, and either approach is well tolerated  by patients.
authors: Naples Day Surgery, Naples, Florida, USA. drgauta@especiallyforwomen.net
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Gauta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007045:Hysterectomy, Vaginal / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction