Prophylactic bilateral salpingectomy (PBS) to reduce ovarian cancer risk incorporated in standard premenopausal hysterectomy: complications and re-operation rate.

Purpose: Hysterectomy for benign conditions can be combined with bilateral salpingectomy to prevent re-intervention for malignant or benign fallopian tube pathologies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the benefit of prophylactic bilateral salpingectomy (PBS) in standard hysterectomy in premenopausal women.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all premenopausal patients at our institution who underwent laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) without oophorectomy for benign pathologies between 2001 and 2007 [PBS group (LAVH + PBS), 2006-2007; non-PBS group (LAVH without PBS), 2001-2005]. Electronic and paper-based files as well as questionnaire responses were analyzed. In 2010, a survey on patients of a non-BRCA background with and without PBS was requested to complete a standardized questionnaire. Data were analyzed for differences between both subgroups regarding surgical outcome and adnexal pathologies as reported in the postoperative follow-up.

Results: Surgical outcomes of 540 patients (PBS: 127; non-PBS: 413) revealed no difference between groups. No preneoplastic or malignant lesions were diagnosed in the fallopian tubes. Follow-up (non-PBS 92 months, PBS 55 months; p < 0.01) responses from 295 (54.6 %) patients showed a higher incidence of benign adnexal pathologies in the non-PBS group (26.9 vs. 13.9 %; p = 0.02). The rate of LAVH-related surgical re-intervention was higher in the non-PBS group (12.56 vs. 4.16 %; p = 0.04). No malignant neoplasm was reported in the cohort.

Conclusions: PBS did not increase the complication rate and reduced the incidence of adnexal pathologies requiring surgical re-intervention. Prospective trials should clarify the impact of PBS on cancer mortality.