Comparison of clinical effects between total vaginal hysterectomy and total laparoscopic hysterectomy on large uteruses over 300 grams

Objective: To compare intra‐ and postoperative complications, operation time, and duration of hospital stay, and to evaluate cost‐effectiveness between total vaginal hysterectomy (TVH) and total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) groups. Material & Methods: Patients undergoing TVH or TLH for a large uterus weighing more than 300 g were recruited from January to December 2007: 150 cases of TVH and 100 cases of TLH, were used. Evaluated variables are as follows: age, parity, previous surgical history, intra‐ and postoperative complications, hysterectomy specimen weight, operation time, duration of hospital stay and total cost. Total cost ($US) include admission, anesthesia and operation costs. Results: There was no difference in demographics, intra‐ and postoperative complications, and uterine weight. However, operation time in TLH (mean, 179.9 min) was significantly longer than TVH (mean, 93.8 min; P