title: Small bowel obstruction after hysterectomy to treat benign disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the incidence of small bowel obstruction (SBO) after hysterectomy performed because of benign indications and to compare the incidence of SBO after laparoscopic, vaginal, and abdominal hysterectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single-center retrospective analysis of all hysterectomies performed to treat benign disease over 9 years (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated tertiary medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 3229 women who underwent hysterectomy performed because of benign indications.
  
  
  METHODS
  International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, codes were applied to eligible patients' medical records to identify those who potentially had an SBO. Again, the electronic medical record was reviewed to confirm the occurrence of SBO. The Fisher exact test was used to evaluate the relationship between SBO and categorical variables, and the Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed to evaluate the relationship between SBO and continuous variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 9-year study, 3229 women with benign disease underwent hysterectomy: 38.3% abdominal, 39.3% vaginal, and 22.3% laparoscopic. Seventeen of 3229 women (0.53%; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.86) who underwent hysterectomy were identified as having an SBO. Among hysterectomy types, the incidence of SBO was not statistically significant for abdominal hysterectomy (9 of 17), vaginal hysterectomy (5 of 17), or laparoscopic hysterectomy (3 of 17) (p = .58). There were no differences in demographic data between patients with and without SBO. Incidence rates for SBO were calculated on the basis of hysterectomy route.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of SBO after hysterectomy performed because of benign indications is low. The hysterectomy route does not seem to affect risk of SBO.
authors.affiliation: Center for Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. mufflyt@ccf.org
authors.forename: Tyler M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Muffly
authors.forename: Beri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ridgeway
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chmielewski
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Falcone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000379:methods*; D007045:Hysterectomy, Vaginal; D015994:Incidence; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000150:complications