INCIDENCE, CAUSES AND SURGICAL METHODS FOR HYSTERECTOMY IN FINLAND, 1987-1989

Background. The objective of our study was to investigate the incidenc e of hysterectomy by age, indication and surgical method employed duri ng 1987-1989 in Finland, corrected by 'uteri or cervix at risk' popula tion. Methods. Three years (1987-1989) of patient discharges from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register, which covers all Finnish hospital s including the few private ones, was used. Patients represented all F innish adult women (approximately 2000000). Results. Approximately 900 0 hysterectomies are performed annually in Finland. The annual inciden ce of hysterectomy was 348/100000 women (most among women aged 45-49), and after correction for 'uteri or cervix at risk' this rose by 11% t o 390/100000. The most frequent indications were leiomyoma (50%) and e ndometriosis (11%). Prolapse, menstrual disorders and cancer each acco unted for 7-8% of all hysterectomies. The most common surgical approac h was total abdominal hysterectomy (36%), while hysterectomy with bila teral oophorectomy and partial hysterectomy each accounted for 20% of operations. Differences in the rates by indication or surgical approac h between 'uteri or cervix at risk' corrected and uncorrected estimate s varied between 0% and 22%. Conclusions. The incidence of, and indica tions for hysterectomy in Finland are approximately the same as in oth er European countries, but partial hysterectomy is more common in Finl and. Because the correction for the 'uteri or cervix at risk' populati on produced changes in the rates of hysterectomy, correction should be considered when calculating hysterectomy rates or incidences of cervi cal or endometrial cancer.