A decade of hysterectomy in a tertiary hospital in urban Niger-Delta region of Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Hysterectomy is a very common gynaecological procedure which has a significant place in optimizing the reproductive health outcomes of women.

Objectives: To document the indications, the type of hysterectomy commonly performed, the difficulties encountered and complications of the procedure at the Central Hospital, Benin City.

Materials and methods: This was a retrospective review of the service delivery records of patients that had hysterectomy in the gynaecological unit between January, 1994 and December, 2003.

Results: There were 1216 major gynaecological operations during the study period. Of these, 131 (10.8%) hysterectomies were done. Total abdominal hysterectomy accounted for 80.4% of the procedures performed and most were done by consultants (94.4%). The mean age of the patients was 45.7 years with a median of 46 years and they were commonly grandmultiparous (71.0%). The commonest indication for the procedure was symptomatic uterine fibroid (62.3%) followed by urogenital prolapse (13.1%). The crude morbidity rate was 30.3% and the mortality rate was 1.6%.

Conclusion: Hysterectomy in this centre is a fairly safe procedure. There is paucity of skills for vaginal and radical procedures. Training is advocated with a view to reducing the presently high morbidity rate as well as achieving our aim of optimizing the reproductive health outcomes of our women.