Small bowel obstruction after hysterectomy to treat benign disease

To estimate the incidence of small bowel obstruction (SBO) after hysterectomy performed because of benign indications and to compare the incidence of SBO after laparoscopic, vaginal, and abdominal hysterectomy.

Single-center retrospective analysis of all hysterectomies performed to treat benign disease over 9 years (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

University-affiliated tertiary medical center.

The study included 3229 women who underwent hysterectomy performed because of benign indications.

International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, codes were applied to eligible patients' medical records to identify those who potentially had an SBO. Again, the electronic medical record was reviewed to confirm the occurrence of SBO. The Fisher exact test was used to evaluate the relationship between SBO and categorical variables, and the Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed to evaluate the relationship between SBO and continuous variables.

During the 9-year study, 3229 women with benign disease underwent hysterectomy: 38.3% abdominal, 39.3% vaginal, and 22.3% laparoscopic. Seventeen of 3229 women (0.53%; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.86) who underwent hysterectomy were identified as having an SBO. Among hysterectomy types, the incidence of SBO was not statistically significant for abdominal hysterectomy (9 of 17), vaginal hysterectomy (5 of 17), or laparoscopic hysterectomy (3 of 17) (p = .58). There were no differences in demographic data between patients with and without SBO. Incidence rates for SBO were calculated on the basis of hysterectomy route.

The incidence of SBO after hysterectomy performed because of benign indications is low. The hysterectomy route does not seem to affect risk of SBO.