Laparoscopic hysterectomy in obese women: a clinical prospective study

Objective: To compare perioperative and postoperative outcomes of laparosco pic hysterectomy (LH) in surgical management of gynecological. conditions i n two groups of different weight. Methods: A prospective comparative clinic al study of 271 LH performed for disease of female pelvic organs in a group of 54 obese patients (over 30 body mass index (BMI)) and in a group of 217 non-obese patients (less than 30 BMI). The following criteria were assesse d: patient characteristics, indications for surgery, previous surgery, pres ence of adhesions, duration of procedure, blood loss, weight of specimen, h ospital stay and complications. Statistical analysis was performed using th e impaired t-test and non-parametric Chi-square test when appropriate, with a significance level of P = 0.05. Results: Three non-obese patients were c onverted to laparotomy due to operative complications. Laparoscopy in the r emaining 268 patients (98.89%) was completed successfully. There was no sig nificant difference in estimated blood loss, presence and degree of adhesio ns, weight of specimen, length of hospital stay and postoperative complicat ions between women with high BMI and those with low BMI. The rate of major operative complications (5.55% versus 3.22%) was higher in the obese group. The duration of the operation was longer in obese women. However, the sign ificance of the difference was borderline (P = 0.06). (C) 2001 Elsevier Sci ence Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.