[Celioscopic ovariectomy. Retrospective study of 56 ovariectomies]

To describe a technique of laparoscopic oophorectomy, and evaluate its feasibility, limits and complications.

We performed a retrospective study of 34 patients who underwent laparoscopic oophorectomy, from 1 December 1992 to 28 February 1995.

Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal, Créteil, and Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif.

Mean age was 58 years (range: 42 to 74 years). In post-menopausal patients with ovarian cyst, a systematic oophorectomy was performed (33 patients). Among post-menopausal women, a systematic contro-lateral oophorectomy was done in 77% of cases. Castration was preconized in one woman with previous breast carcinoma.

Removal of the ovary was performed by dessication and division of the utero-ovarian junction and of the mesovarium.

Among the 34 women, 32 (94%) had an exclusive laparoscopic procedure, 2 had laparo-conversion. The reasons of laparo-conversion were the presence of adhesions in one case and presumption of ovarian malignancy (Border-line ovarian tumor) in the other case. For the 32 women with laparoscopic treatment, 22 (65%) had bilateral oophorectomy. Per-operative complication rate was 6.2% (an epigastric vessel injury in one case and an hemorrhage during laparoscopic adhesiolysis in an other case). The post-operative time was uneventful.

This technique of laparoscopic oophorectomy is simple, rapid and has a low rate of per and post-operative complications. In addition, this technique has the advantage to prevent the risk of ureteral injury.