INTRODUCTION:
Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Hysterectomy (LRH) is a minimally invasive hysterectomy approach incorporating retroperitoneal dissection to ligate the uterine arteries at the origin, lateralization of ureters, vaginal specimen extraction and transvaginal cuff closure. Our study evaluates LRH in terms of outcomes, cost, and patient satisfaction.
METHODS:
Retrospective chart review of 756 consecutive cases undergoing LRH for benign indications at a suburban hospital from 2011-2013. Data collected: patient characteristics and surgical outcomes. Direct hospital costs were estimated using a combination of micro- and gross-costing. Satisfaction surveys were mailed to the same patient population with a 12% response rate.
RESULTS:
Mean uterine size: 328.9g (SD 343.1), ranging from 20g to 9,314g. Mean operating time (OT): 61.8 min (SD 31.0). Average length of stay (LOS) 0.2 (SD 0.5) days with 88% discharged same day. Intraoperative and postoperative complication rates: 2.2% and 3.2%, respectively. Conversion to mini-laparotomy (<5cm) = 1.2% (9 cases). Conversion to laparotomy (>5cm) = 0.0%. Zero use of power morcellation. Average cost per case $4,061. Postoperative survey indicated 87.2% overall patient satisfaction rate.
CONCLUSION:
A distinguishing aspect of the LRH procedure is a standard retroperitoneal dissection with delineation of the ureter and control of the blood supply by uterine artery ligation at its origin. This technique is key to low complication rates, which minimizes OT, LOS, and costs, and contributes to patient satisfaction, and costs, and contributes to patient satisfaction. Further studies comparing LRH to the most widely performed minimally invasive hysterectomy approaches are warranted for this effective and cost-efficient procedure.
