Post-hysterectomy morbidity after previous punch cervical biopsy plus diagnostic curettage

The post-operative morbidity of 70 patients who underwent total abdominal hysterectomy five to thirteen days after punch-biopsy of the cervix uteri and diagnostic curettage was compared of that of a control group of patients, with hysterectomy alone. It was observed that the sequence punch-biopsy hysterectomy presented a significantly higher post-operative morbidity. This increase was mainly due to higher parametritis, excessive vaginal discharge and wound infections rates. The interval between the two operations was also found to influence the post-hysterectomy morbidity, which seems to decrease with longer intervals.