Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Introduction of Intracapsular Rotary-cut Procedures (IRCP): A Modified Hysteromyomectomy Procedures Facilitating Fertility Preservation
Published on: January 17, 2019
Is previous cesarean section a risk for incidental cystotomy at the time of hysterectomy? A case-controlled study
Christopher M Rooney1, Adam T Crawford, Brett J Vassallo
1Department of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstruction, Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA. christopher_rooney@trihealth.com
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to determine if previous cesarean section is an independent risk factor for incidental cystotomy at the time of hysterectomy.
Study Design:
This is a case-controlled study that evaluated all cases of incidental cystotomy at the time of hysterectomy between January 1998 and December 2001. Five thousand and ninety-two hysterectomies were performed in the time period mentioned above, and 51 cases of incidental cystotomy were identified. Each case of incidental cystotomy was then matched to 3 controls with similar patient characteristics, medical histories, and surgical histories, as well as the absence of incidental cystotomy at the time of hysterectomy.
Results:
Overall, 5092 hysterectomies were performed during the study period (total abdominal hysterectomy [TAH] 3140 [61.7%], total vaginal hysterectomy [TVH] 1519 [29.8%], laparoscopically-assisted vaginal hysterectomy [LAVH] 433 [8.5%]). Fifty-one cases of incidental cystotomy were identified (TAH: 24 [47.1%], TVH: 19 [37.3%], LAVH: 8 [15.7%]). The overall incidence of cystotomy was 1.0%. When considering TAH, there were 24/3141 (0.76%) cases of incidental cystotomy, with 8 (33%) of these patients with a history of previous cesarean section. During TVH, we encountered 19/1519 (1.3%) cases of incidental cystotomy, with 4 (21%) of these women having undergone a previous cesarean. Finally, during LAVH, there were 8/433 (1.8%) cases of incidental cystotomy. Five (62.5%) of these patients had a previous history of cesarean section. In comparison, 19/72 (26.4%) TAH controls had a previous history of cesarean. Four out of 57 (7.0%) TVH controls had a history of cesarean section. Finally, 2/24 (8.3%) LAVH controls had a history of previous cesarean.
Conclusion:
Previous cesarean section is indeed a significant risk factor for damage to the lower urinary tract at the time of hysterectomy (odds ratio [OR] 2.04; 95%CI 1.2-3.5). When analyzed separately, the OR of incidental cystotomy at the time of TAH, TVH, and LAVH in a woman with a history of previous cesarean was 1.26, 3.00, and 7.50, respectively. Only the value for LAVH was statistically significant (P = .005; 95%CI 1.8-31.4).
