title: Hysterectomy through minilaparotomy for benign gynaecological conditions: a valid option.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Efforts are continuously being made for surgery to be less invasive with a minimal access approach. This article reports our experience with minilaparotomy hysterectomy in patients with benign gynecological disease or preinvasive pathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study to analyse the outcome and per-operative and post-operative complications was conducted in 69 patients undergoing hysterectomy by the minilaparotomy approach through 4-5cm Pfannenstiel incision.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean operating time and postoperative hospital stay were 41.3 min and 3.1 days, respectively. Composite morbidity was encountered in 12 women (17.4%) with no major complications or mortality. None of the patients had an estimated blood loss over 500ml.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minilaparotomy hysterectomy in benign gynecological disease provides an appealing, effective, expeditious, minimal access and cost-effective option/alternative to the traditional abdominal hysterectomy. It obviates the need for any additional expensive equipment and above all improves upon the per-operative and post-operative outcomes without compromising, whatsoever, the quality of surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mmimsr, Mullana, Ambala, India.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahendru
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mmimsr, Mullana, Ambala, India.
authors.forename: Savita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mmimsr, Mullana, Ambala, India.
authors.forename: Ss
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mmimsr, Mullana, Ambala, India.
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
keywords: Hysterectomy; Pfannenstiel incision; minilaparotomy