DOES SIMPLE HYSTERECTOMY ALTER BOWEL FUNCTION

Background and Aims: Hysterectomy is believed to be associated with di sturbed defecation, mainly constipation. This study longitudinally des cribes bowel function in women submitted for hysterectomy. Material an d Methods: Rectoanal manovolumetry, whole gut transit time and detaile d interviews on bowel function and dyspareunia were performed preopera tively and at 3 and 11-18 months after hysterectomy in 42 women. Twent y healthy women matched for age and parity served as manovolumetry con trols. Results: No significant changes in anal sphincter pressures cou ld be demonstrated, neither early nor late after hysterectomy. Transit time was unaffected. All but one of the patients claimed that they ha d been suffering from one or more of the following symptoms; abdominal pain, distension, constipation and dysparenuia. While postoperative i nterviews revealed a significant improvement with respect to abdominal pain and dyspareunia (P < 0.01) after 3 and 11-18 months, improvement of abdominal distension and constipation proved to be transient only. Conclusion: Simple abdominal hysterectomy appears not to interfere ad versely with bowel function. On the contrary many patients were reliev ed from abdominal pain present before operation.