Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy. A comparison of morbidity and mortality results with laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy.

Laparoscopic applications in hysterectomy promise to be a factor in decreasing both economic and medical morbidity. However, with the need for both advanced laparoscopic skills and good vaginal surgical techniques, the meaningful conversion rate (total abdominal hysterectomy to laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy) appears to be low. A less morbid approach may be subtotal hysterectomy, in appropriate candidates, particularly if this procedure is readily accomplished by an increased number of physicians. A comparison of outcomes in 50 laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy patients versus 50 laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy patients was made, demonstrating that the subtotal procedure was significantly less morbid.