Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal vs. abdominal surgery in patients with endometrial cancer stage 1

Abstract

Background. The development of new diagnostic and surgical methods has brought a differentiated approach to the surgery of endometrial cancer. The aim of this study was to verify the peri- and postoperative differences between laparoscopic and open procedures. Methods. In the period from January 1995 to August 2001 a total of 86 patients were treated for endometrial cancer stage 1. Of these, 28 patients were treated by laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), while 58 patients were treated by total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) and BSO. The two patient groups were comparable in all aspects. Results. The average hospital stay in the LAVH group was 2.7 days compared to 5.4 days for the TAH group. There were fewer complications in the LAVH group (7%) compared to the laparotomy group (14%). Conclusions. Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy seems to be acceptable in the treatment of stage 1 endometrial carcinoma. © 2006 Taylor & Francis.