Small bowel obstruction after hysterectomy to treat benign disease.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To estimate the incidence of small bowel obstruction (SBO) after hysterectomy performed because of benign indications and to compare the incidence of SBO after laparoscopic, vaginal, and abdominal hysterectomy.

DESIGN

Single-center retrospective analysis of all hysterectomies performed to treat benign disease over 9 years (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

SETTING

University-affiliated tertiary medical center.

PATIENTS

The study included 3229 women who underwent hysterectomy performed because of benign indications.

INTERVENTIONS

International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, codes were applied to eligible patients' medical records to identify those who potentially had an SBO. Again, the electronic medical record was reviewed to confirm the occurrence of SBO. The Fisher exact test was used to evaluate the relationship between SBO and categorical variables, and the Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed to evaluate the relationship between SBO and continuous variables.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

During the 9-year study, 3229 women with benign disease underwent hysterectomy: 38.3% abdominal, 39.3% vaginal, and 22.3% laparoscopic. Seventeen of 3229 women (0.53%; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.86) who underwent hysterectomy were identified as having an SBO. Among hysterectomy types, the incidence of SBO was not statistically significant for abdominal hysterectomy (9 of 17), vaginal hysterectomy (5 of 17), or laparoscopic hysterectomy (3 of 17) (p = .58). There were no differences in demographic data between patients with and without SBO. Incidence rates for SBO were calculated on the basis of hysterectomy route.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of SBO after hysterectomy performed because of benign indications is low. The hysterectomy route does not seem to affect risk of SBO.