Laparoscopic myomectomy: enucleation of the myoma by morcellation while it is attached to the uterus

Abstract

Study objective: To evaluate the feasibility, blood loss, length of surgery, mean hospital stay, and complications of enucleation of a myoma by morcellation while it is still attached to the uterus and to compare the technique with the standard technique of laparoscopic myomectomy.

Design: Randomized study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: Private endoscopy center.

Patients: Forty-four patients with symptomatic myomas confirmed by ultrasound examination were included in the study from January 2000 through December 2001 and were randomized into two groups-A and B. The inclusion criteria were the presence of a uterus larger than 12 weeks (on bimanual examination), ultrasound confirmation of the presence of at least one myoma 7 cm or greater in size, and/or presence of three or more myomas greater than 5 cm in size.

Intervention: The technique of laparoscopic myomectomy by enucleation of a myoma by morcellation while it is still attached to the uterus was performed in all patients in Group A. The patients in Group B underwent laparoscopic myomectomy by the conventional technique of complete enucleation of the myoma followed by morcellation.

Measurements and main results: Forty-nine myomas were removed in group A and 35 in group B. The mean weight of the myomas removed in each patient was 600.5 +/- 369.1 g in group A (95% CI 452.83-748.17 g) and 584.2 +/- 411.1 g in group B (95% CI 404.05-764.45 g) (p = .706). The mean blood loss was 283.9 +/- 229.3 mL in group A (95% CI 192.20-375.72 mL) and 218.5 +/- 110.7 mL in group B (95% CI 169.96-267.04 mL) (p = .739), the mean hospital stay was 37.91 +/- 5.44 hours in group A (95% CI 35.74-40.10 hours) and 39.5 +/- 3.634 hours in group B (95% CI 37.91-41.09 hours) (p = .236). The mean length of surgery was significantly shorter in group A (97.7 +/- 27.06 min, 95% CI 86.88-108.54 minutes) as compared with that in group B (123 +/- 38.8 min 95% CI 106.93-140.57 minutes), (p = .013).

Conclusion: Preliminary results suggest that laparoscopic myomectomy employing the technique of enucleation of a myoma by morcellation while it is still attached to the uterus is safe and efficient. It helps to overcome certain technical difficulties inherent in the standard technique of laparoscopic myomectomy. It may help to relax the inclusion criteria of patients with myoma for laparoscopic myomectomy based on the size of the myoma.