Effects of a single rectal dose of Misoprostol prior to abdominal hysterectomy in women with symptomatic leiomyoma: a randomized double blind clinical trial

BACKGROUND: Fibroma, the most common benign pelvic tumor in women, affects 25 to 30% of women of reproductive age. Primary treatment for patients with symptomatic or large fibroma is surgery. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a single rectal dose of Misoprostol on bleeding during abdominal hysterectomy. METHODS: This double blind randomized clinical trial was conducted with 80 candidates for abdominal hysterectomy, due to uterine myoma, in the Shahid Sadoughi hospital of Yazd in 2012. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of single rectal dose of Misoprostol on peri-operational abdominal hysterectomy bleeding. Following administration of 400 micrograms of Misoprostol in the case group (n=40), predetermined criteria were compared with control group (n=40). RESULTS: Volume of bleeding during the operation was significantly lower in cases where Misoprostol was used. (268.71 ± 156.85 vs. 350.38 ± 152.61 cc in the case and control groups, respectively). Our findings also showed that Hemoglobin (Hb) levels before, 8, and 30 hours following the operation differed significantly (p=0.001), but these changes were similar in both groups. Pre-operative Hb levels were 11.90 ± 1.7 and 11.90 ± 2.0 in the case and control groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: A single rectal dose of Misoprostol has positive effect on reducing peri-operational bleeding in women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy due to symptomatic leiomyoma.