title: Choosing the Route of Hysterectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the clinical results of three techniques of hysterectomy- abdominal hysterectomy (AH), non-descent vaginal hysterectomy (NDVH), and laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH).
  
  
  METHODS
  A simple prospective randomized study was performed in a tertiary care centre between June 2011 and Dec 2012, among 150 consecutive women indicated to undergo hysterectomy for benign and mobile uterine conditions. They were randomly assigned 50 each to three routes of hysterectomy; (abdominal, vaginal, and laparoscopic-assisted vaginal). Outcome measures including operating time, blood loss, rate of complications, consumption of analgesics, and length of hospital stay were assessed and compared between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As far as duration of operation, mean blood loss, analgesic requirement, length of hospital stay, P value was significant. Incidence of complications is least among VH group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vaginal hysterectomy is the gold standard in the era of minimal access surgery. Some of the contraindications to VH can be overcome by assistance of laparoscope and a potential abdominal hysterectomy can be converted to a vaginal procedure.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Maharajah's Institute of Medical Sciences, Nellimarla Vizianagaram, 535217 A.P India.
authors.forename: Sandhyasri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panda
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, MKCG Medical College & Hospital, Berhampur, Odisha India.
authors.forename: Ashok Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Behera
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Maharajah's Institute of Medical Sciences, Nellimarla Vizianagaram, 535217 A.P India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jayalakshmi
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Maharajah's Institute of Medical Sciences, Nellimarla Vizianagaram, 535217 A.P India.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Narasinga Rao
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Maharajah's Institute of Medical Sciences, Nellimarla Vizianagaram, 535217 A.P India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Indira
keywords: AH; Hysterectomy; LAVH; NDVH