UNDERUTILIZATION OF LAPAROSCOPIC OOPHORECTOMY

The objective of this study was to compare the use and effectiveness o f laparoscopic and laparotomy oophorectomy in 3 hospitals in Melbourne . A retrospective analysis was made of medical records of 140 patients having laparoscopic or laparotomy oophorectomy in the Mercy Hospital for Women (41), Monash Medical Centre (37), and Cliveden Hill Private Hospital (62). Both public hospitals used the laparoscopic procedure, 12% and 22% respectively, less often than the private hospital? 94%. T he average number of hospital days for procedures completed by laparos copy was 1.3 and for laparotomy 6.9. Fourteen percent of laparoscopic procedures were converted to laparotomy. Adjusting for this the averag e hospital stay was 1.6 days for procedures started laparoscopically. Assuming 1,000 oophorectomies are performed each year in Australia of which 80% could be performed laparoscopically, there may be cost savin gs to health care providers of over $1.5 million. Laparoscopic oophore ctomy is a safe, effective and cost-efficient method of removing the o vary and gynaecologists should be encouraged to learn and perform this procedure.