Feasibility of myomectomy performed by minilaparotomy.

Background: To evaluate feasibility and clinical outcomes of myomectomy performed through minilaparotomic access in a large series of consecutive patients.

Methods: All patients submitted to laparotomic conservative surgery for uterine myomas through an initial minilaparotomic approach (4-8-cm transverse skin incision) were retrospectively evaluated. Preoperative findings, surgical technique, rate of laparotomic enlargement, operative time, surgical complications and length of recovery were the main analyzed outcomes.

Results: One hundred and seventy out of 212 patients experienced minilaparotomic approach for uterine myomatosis. In 97 (57.1%) multiple myomas were present (maximum, 23). The size of the largest myoma ranged from 2 to 19 cm (median 5.6). In 161 (94.7%) patients myomectomy was ended through minilaparotomic access with a mean length of skin incision of 6.2 cm (4-7.8). The correlation between severe obesity and laparotomic enlargement was statistically significant (p<0.05). The mean operative time was 57 min (32-118). One bladder intraoperative injury was successfully managed through minilaparotomic incision. Bowel or vascular complications never occurred. Estimated blood loss was not significant except in three cases (1.9%) requiring transfusion. Febrile complications were observed in nine patients (5.6%). The median postoperative stay in uncomplicated patients was 2.5 days (2-4).

Conclusions: Our report supports the wide application of minilaparotomic myomectomy and suggests that more than 85% of women with fit uterine myomatosis could be successfully managed in this way with a failure rate of 5.3% in eligible patients. The main criteria of minimal invasive surgery seem to be by minilaparotomic myomectomy, which should be considered a valid option for uterine myohas conservative treatment.