Returning to work after laparoscopic myomectomy: a prospective observational study.

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Laparoscopic myomectomy offers advantages over open surgery, including faster recovery and return to work.
• Understanding factors affecting return to employment is crucial for patient counseling and optimizing postoperative care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the time to return to work after laparoscopic myomectomy.
• To identify factors that prolong recovery to more than 8 weeks postoperatively.

Main Methods:

• Prospective evaluation of 94 women undergoing laparoscopic myomectomy by a single surgeon.
• Standardized preoperative counseling and validated return-to-work questionnaires administered 3 months postoperatively.
• Analysis comparing women returning to work within ≤ 8 weeks versus > 8 weeks.

Main Results:

• 75.5% of women completed the questionnaire; 60.6% returned to work within ≤ 8 weeks.
• Higher BMI and longer time to return to normal activity were significantly associated with delayed return to work (> 8 weeks).
• Number of fibroids removed and ethnicity showed significant differences between groups, but BMI and time to normal activity were the only predictors of prolonged recovery.

Conclusions:

• Body mass index (BMI) and time to return to normal activity are significant predictors of return to work duration after laparoscopic myomectomy.
• These findings can aid clinicians in providing accurate preoperative counseling regarding postoperative employment recovery.
• Optimizing patient management based on BMI and expected recovery time can improve return-to-work outcomes.