Hysterectomy in a community hospital.

The liberalization of indications for hysterectomy by hospital tissue committees, partly encouraged by sterilization by hysterectomy instead of tubal ligation, has led to an increased frequency of this procedure. To evaluate the debate about tubal ligation vs. hysterectomy and hysterectomy in general, statistics from community hospitals should be reviewed, analyzed, and compared with those from large medical centers where statistics favoring a procedure generally originate. A total of 235 abdominal and vaginal hysterectomies covering a 1 year period in a community hospital of 400 beds are reviewed for indications, complications, morbidity, and death.