Outcomes of transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic hysterectomy: a multi-centre retrospective study...

Vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) hysterectomy is gaining increasing popularity among gynaecological surgeons worldwide due to its minimally invasive nature and associated benefits. However, despite its growing adoption, it remains a relatively novel surgical technique that continues to be evaluated and refined in clinical practice. The primary objective of this study is to share and analyse our initial experiences with the implementation of vNOTES hysterectomy across six specialised gynaecological centres in Turkey.

This retrospective analysis included all women who underwent vNOTES hysterectomy, with or without salpingo-oophorectomy, for benign or malignant conditions. All procedures adhered to the standardised protocol described by Baekelandt et al. Data on baseline patient characteristics, intraoperative details, and postoperative outcomes were collected and analysed.

A total of 685 patients underwent vNOTES procedures. Among them, 64 women (9.3%) had a history of one caesarean delivery, 38 (5.5%) had two prior caesareans, and 11 (1.6%) had three or more. Myoma, with or without accompanying metrorrhagia, was the most common surgical indication (53.0%). The mean operative time was 72.4 ± 40.2 min, and the average haemoglobin decrease was 1.3 ± 1.0 g/dL. The mean uterine weight was 204 ± 145 g. Intraoperative complications occurred in 1.7% of cases (n = 12), while postoperative complications were observed in 1.4% (n = 10). Conversion to conventional laparoscopy occurred in six cases (0.9%), primarily due to an obliterated pouch of Douglas or intraoperative complications. The average hospital stay was 2.3 ± 1.4 days.

These findings support vNOTES as a safe and effective surgical approach, offering a viable alternative to traditional laparoscopic or vaginal techniques in select patient populations.