Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2007 Nov;50(11):1532-1537.

Impact of vaginal hysterectomy on total vaginal length

• Kim ML
• Lee WS
• Kim JM
• Cho YJ
• Joo KY
• Choi KH
• Lee IK
• Kim JJ

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of vaginal hysterectomy on total vaginal length (TVL).
METHODS
Retrospective analysis of 155 medical records of patients underwent vaginal hysterectomy by one surgeon with benign uterine pathology in the absence of prolapse between January 2004 and February 2007. After hysterectomy, uterosacral vaginal vault resuspension (anchoring to vaginal vault about 1.0~1.5 cm proximal at the ligament) was performed for prevention of vault prolapse. Patients' characteristics and TVL before and after surgery were evaluated.
RESULTS
Preoperative mean TVL was 7.32+/-0.84cm. At two months after the surgery, mean TVL was 7.42+/-0.77 cm. The change of vaginal length was statistical significance (P=0.045). Eighty-one patients were reevaluated at five to twelve months after surgery, mean TVL was longer than the preoperative results (7.3+/-0.82 cm vs 7.48+/-0.78 cm, P=0.011). We evaluated 30 patients who were followed at least 12 months after the surgery, the length was longer than the preoperative results, also (7.17+/-0.81 cm vs 7.46+/-0.66 cm, P=0.006).
CONCLUSION
Although that appears to be statistically significant elongation of the total vaginal length after vaginal hysterectomy, the impact is unlikely to be clinically significant.

Keyword

Total vaginal length (TVL); Vaginal hysterectomy

MeSH Terms

Female
Humans
Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy, Vaginal*
Medical Records
Pathology
Prolapse
Retrospective Studies