Laparoscopic surgery for adnexal masses. Experience of the Temuco RegionalHospital in Chile

Background: Laparoscopic surgery has clear advantages over open surgical pr ocedures. In gynecology, laparoscopic surgery for adnexal masses in pre or post menopausal women has been used for several years. Aim: To report the e xperience with gynecologic laparoscopic surgery at the Temuco Regional Hosp ital. Patients and methods: Between 1996 and 1998, laparoscopic surgery was done in 96 patients aged 16 to 56 years and open surgery in 56 patients ag ed 15 to 74 years, with a clinical or ultrasound diagnosis of adnexal masse s or ovarian dermoid cysts. Results: The most frequent tumors excised were epithelial and germinal cell. Laparoscopic surgery required a mean operativ e time of 69.9 min and it had a 3.1% of complications. Women subjected to t his type of surgery had a mean hospital stay of 3.1 days and the mean posto perative stay was 2 days. Open surgery required an operative time of 69 min and it had no postoperative complications. The mean hospital stay for wome n subjected to this type of procedure was 9.5 days. Conclusions: Women subj ected to laparoscopic surgical procedures for adnexal masses had a shorter hospital stay than women subjected to open surgical procedures.