OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics of total laparoscopic hysterectomy. METHODS: Clinical data about 600 cases who received TLH were collected and the hospital stay, operation time and complication were evaluated. RESULTS: The most common indications for TLH were uterine myomas, adenomyosis, severe endometriosis and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Mean operating time was 90 minutes (range 35-200 min) and hospital stay was 3 days (range 2 days-10 days). The most important factors for the surgery time were uterine size, assistant's skill and presence of adhesions (obliteration of the cul-de-sac due to severe pelvic endometriosis). Several techniques were used, including bipolar coagulation of the ovarian and uterine vessels, and suture of the stump. A special uterine manipulator (RUMITM uterine manipulator with colpotomizer and pneumooccluder balloon) used in all procedures aided in anatomic definition and performing the circumferential colpotomy. We had two cases of ureteral obliteration by using bipolar coagulator, and 3 cases of bladder injuries during operation which was diagnosed and immediately repaired laparoscopically. We had two cases of ureterovaginal fistula, two cases of postoperative ileus and one case of bowel perforation. But there were no cases of death, thrombophlebitis or other pulmonary complications. CONCLUSIONS: Total laparoscopic hysterectomy can be performed safely and effectively when the surgical team is sufficiently trained. And we believe that total laparoscopic hysterectomy offers benefits to the patients in the form of less post-operative pain, shorter time in hospital.
Adenomyosis ; Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia ; Colpotomy ; Endometriosis ; Female ; Fistula ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Ileus ; Leiomyoma ; Length of Stay ; Sutures ; Thrombophlebitis ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder

The objective of this study is to evaluate short-term results of total laparoscopic hysterectomy with those of total abdominal hysterectomy and laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy in a retrospective study. We compared patient's age, mean uterine weight, total operating time, length of hospital stay and perioperative hemoglobin concentration change between total laparoscopic hysterectomy (300 patients) and total abdominal hysterectomy (100 patients) and laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (52 patients). There were no differences in terms of patient's age, parity between the three groups. There were 7 minor complications in the laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy group compared with 9 minor complications in the abdominal hysterectomy group and 14 minor complications in the total laparoscopic hysterectomy group (P not significant). The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter for total laparoscopic hysterectomy than laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy and total abdominal hysterectomy (p<.001). This study demonstrates that laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy and total laparoscopic hysterectomy appears to be as safe as laparotomy and may replace abdominal hysterectomy in most patients and generally has the advantage of shorter hospital stay and earlier return to normal activities.
Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy* ; Hysterectomy, Vaginal* ; Laparotomy ; Length of Stay ; Parity ; Retrospective Studies