EC Gynaecology

Background: Hysterectomy is one of the common major gynaecological surgeries performed around the world. Globally, over 1.2 million women undergo this surgery annually. Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. It could be done via the abdominal, vaginal and laparoscopic routes. Hysterectomy can be done for benign and malignant gynaecological conditions, and occasionally obstetric conditions. The main indication for hysterectomy in benign conditions is abnormal uterine bleeding secondary to uterine fibroids, adenomyosis and endometrial hyperplasia. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of hysterectomy for benign conditions at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Port Harcourt, Nigeria, its indications and the associated complications.

Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cross sectional study of 227 hysterectomy cases done from January 2019 - December 2023 for benign indications. The case notes were retrieved from the medical records department. Further information was got from theatre and ward records. Data were sorted, coded and analysed using IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 25 for Windows^®.

Results: A total of 1,205 major gynaecological surgeries were done during the study period. Of these, 268 were hysterectomies, indicating a prevalence of 22.24%. Benign indications were 227 cases, while 41 were for malignant conditions. Average age was 45 ± 5 years. Mean Parity was 3-4. Major indications were abnormal uterine bleeding and uterine fibroids. Major complications were haemorrhage and infection. No mortalities were recorded.

Conclusion: Hysterectomy is a relatively safe surgery. More training is required for better skills on laparoscopic and vaginal approaches in our setting. Thus reducing complications associated with abdominal hysterectomy.

 Keywords: Hysterectomy; Abnormal Uterine Bleeding; Gynaecological Surgery

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