Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy in a rural Minnesota hospital

In the United States, approximately 600,000 patients per year undergo surgical removal of the uterus at considerable cost to payers, patients, and society at large. Currently, most hysterectomies are performed via abdominal or vaginal surgery, but laparoscopic-assisted procedures are becoming more popular. Many studies have shown that laparoscopic surgery is a safe, effective, and less-intrusive alternative to open surgery. Laparoscopic surgery can be far less costly and painful, and it results in shorter hospital stays and recovery times. This paper compares laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy with laparoscopic-assisted and standard hysterectomy and reviews 83 laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomies performed at a rural Minnesota hospital. Techniques, equipment, patient mix, indications, and complications are discussed. Most patients encountered few complications and were discharged from the hospital within 48 hours. The report demonstrates that laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy is a beneficial alternative to standard and laparoscopic-assisted hysterectomy that can be performed in local hospitals.