Study objective: To perform clinical and financial analyses of laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) and total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH).
Design: During the 16 months between August 1991 and December 1992, 34 women who underwent LAVH were compared with 60 women having TAH during 1990. Indications, surgical outcomes, complications, time to return to work, and hospital charges for each group were analyzed.
Setting: A multispecialty group practice.
Patients: The LAVH group included the first 34 cases by the senior author and were the only such procedures at this hospital. The TAH group included all patients having this procedure for benign conditions from the same group practice for 1990. Interventions. Either LAVH or TAH.
Measurements and main results: The most common primary indication in both groups was fibroids. Only one LAVH failed and was converted to a TAH. Postoperative complications were significantly greater for TAH than for LAVH (45% vs 9%). The length of stay and time to return to work were significantly less after LAVH. Total hospital charges increased for LAVH over TAH ($7623 vs $4550) despite a significantly shorter length of stay after LAVH.
Conclusions: Although LAVH has a significantly lower complication rate than TAH, it is more costly to perform. This higher cost, despite a shorter hospital stay, is attributed to high operating room charges. Employers and patients benefit from early return to work with LAVH.