Patients' preferences in mode of surgery of an adnexal mass.

Objective: We assessed the preferences of women with an adnexal mass for the mode of surgery.

Methods: A structured interview was designed in which women, scheduled for surgery for an adnexal mass, were confronted with fictive scenarios of the different approaches. Women were asked at what probability of a false negative test result of frozen section diagnosis they would prefer frozen section diagnosis over primary radical surgery. Furthermore, the women were asked at what probability of ovarian malignancy they would prefer laparoscopy over laparotomy.

Results: We interviewed 43 women. When the probability of frozen section diagnosis being false negative was set at 90%, 97% of the women preferred primary radical surgery. The mean threshold at which women switched their preference from primary radical surgery to frozen section diagnosis was at a risk of 49% on a false negative test result of frozen section diagnosis. In the choice between laparoscopy over laparotomy, the mean threshold at which the women switched their preference from laparoscopy to laparotomy was at a risk of 55% on ovarian malignancy.

Conclusion: Women scheduled for surgery of an adnexal mass at low risk of ovarian malignancy, prefer frozen section diagnosis over primary radical surgery and prefer laparoscopy over laparotomy.