Problems Related to the Cervical Stump at Follow-Up in Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate our experience with laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LASH) and to assess the short- and medium-term outcome. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patient and surgery characteristics from chart review and evaluation of patient satisfaction by a questionnaire. RESULTS: Forty-one patients who underwent LASH were studied with a mean length of follow-up of 27 months. Operative complications consisted of one bladder lesion and one bleeding at the trocar site. Postoperative complications were bladder atony (1), paralytic ileus (1), a pulmonary embolism (1) and vaginal hemorrhage from the colpotomy incision (1). Twenty-five percent of the patients continued to menstruate, and 10% had symptoms of discharge. Overall, 98% of the patients were satisfied with their operation. CONCLUSIONS: Although preservation of the cervix with laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign diseases was satisfactory in most of the cases, several women had complications of the remaining cervix. Special attention should be paid to the careful treatment of the cervical stump. Further prospective studies are needed to evaluate the advantages of retaining the cervix at laparoscopic hysterectomy.