Radical hysterectomy: influence of recent conization on morbidity and complications.

From 1956 through 1975, 610 radical hysterectomies with pelvic lymphadenectomy were performed at the Mayo Clinic. Eighty-eight of these operations were done after conization of the cervix: 7, within 7 days; 74, between 8 and 28 days; and 7, on or after the 29th day. Operative febrile morbidity was not increased in the patients who had conization, and they also required fewer blood transfusions than the patients without previous conization. Incidences of all postoperative complications except pulmonary embolism were lower in the patients with cone biopsy than in those without. Of the 88 patients, 77% received antibiotics prophylactically during the operative period. There appeared to be no serious contraindications to performing radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy at any interval after diagnostic conization of the cervix.