Comparison: Advanced Laparoscopic Hysterectomy vs. Open Hysterectomy
In nearly all cases, open hysterectomies can now be considered a thing of the past. Women can avoid having painful, open surgeries for nearly all conditions that may require a hysterectomy. Whether you are suffering from fibroids; painful, heavy, or irregular periods; or even gynecologic cancer, nearly all women can have a minimally invasive hysterectomy instead of open surgery using Advanced Laparoscopic techniques. The Women's Surgery Center is the only medical practice in the United States that uses this method to approach all of our cases. The benefits of Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery can be seen below.
Laparoscopic Modified Radical Hysterectomy versus Open Modified Radical Hysterectomy
| Discharge Home | Less than 24 hours | 3 to 5 days |
| Recovery Time | 2 weeks or less | 6 – 8 weeks |
| Incision Size | 4 – 1/4 inch | 6 to 8 inches, horizontal |
| Pain Tolerance | Excellent to good, mod pain first 2 days | Fair to poor secondary to large hoirizontal incision |
| Node Yield | Average 18, range 12 to 28 nodes | Variable, depends on surgeon |
| Complications | Minimal secondary to small incisions, minimal pain, rapid discharge from hospital, immediately ambulatory. Minimal adhesion formation decreasing complications from radiation therapy if required. Five to ten percent of patients will require placement of bladder catheter for urinary retention secondary to the procedure | Incision: increased incidence of wound breakdown and infection, incisional pain, pain with breathing. Ambulation: difficulty ambulating with increased incidence of clot in legs and lungs due to venous stasis. Other: Increased incidence of radiation injury to small bowel due to adhesion formation, increased incidence of stroke and MI due to venous stasis and stress/pain, lung collapse and pneumonia, increased risk of hospital acquired infection (MRSA) secondary to prolonged hospital stay. Higher percentage of patients will require bladder Pcatheter placement for urinary retention secondary to the procedure. |
| Procedure Time | 1.5 to 2 hours | 2 to 3 hours |
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