Returning to Work Following Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy.

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Surgical Outcomes
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH) is associated with reduced pain and shorter hospital stays.
• However, a quicker return to work (RTW) has not been consistently observed post-MIH.
• Patient recovery expectations and surgeon recommendations influence RTW timelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze return to work times following minimally invasive hysterectomy.
• To investigate the impact of pre-operative counseling on RTW duration.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for optimizing patient RTW.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case series of 31 patients undergoing elective MIH.
• Data collected on RTW times post-surgery.
• Comparison of RTW based on different post-operative recovery counseling durations.

Main Results:

• The median RTW time was 21 days.
• Patients advised a 2-4 week recovery returned significantly faster (median 16 days) than those advised 4-8 weeks (median 56 days).
• Surgeon recommendations critically impact RTW timelines.

Conclusions:

• Most patients can return to work within 2-3 weeks after MIH.
• Setting realistic, shorter recovery expectations (2-4 weeks) accelerates RTW.
• Patient-centered recommendations, considering job demands, are essential for optimizing RTW post-MIH.