Estrogen replacement after hysterectomy-hormonal profiles and postoperative complaints comparing premenopausal patients with and without oophorectomy

Aim was to investigate if premenopausal patients with regular menstrual cyc les may profit by postoperative estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), tempora rily given after hysterectomy Ovarian hormone deficiency following hysterec tomy may be responsible for the negative effect on complaints normally obse rved in postmenopause, but the question is controversial if hysterectomy co uld lead to premature and persistent ovarian insufficiency Hormone profiles and estrogen deficiency complaints of ss women were compared during 6 week s after hysterectomy with and without oophorectomy, and transdermal estradi ol. ((R)Estraderm TTS 0.05 mg/die) was applied for 3 or 6 weeks, respective ly. Women treated with estradiol had less complaints. However, asymptomatic patients without oophorectomy should not be treated prophylacticarly with ERT after surgery since ovarian depression could not be demonstrated in thi s study.