High MIH case volume may up risk for adverse events in women with large uteri

 

ORLANDO – High case volume for surgeons performing minimally invasive hysterectomies in women with large uteri is associated with an increased rate of perioperative adverse events – but also with a decreased rate of conversion to laparotomy – according to a review of 763 procedures.

The minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH) procedures in the study were performed by 66 surgeons and included 416 total laparoscopic hysterectomies, 196 robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomies, 90 total vaginal hysterectomies, and 61 laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomies, Carol E. Bretschneider, MD, reported at the annual scientific meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons.

The mean monthly case volume was 16.4 and mean MIH volume was 23, said Dr. Bretschneider, a fellow at the Cleveland Clinic.

“The rate of postoperative adverse events was 17.8%, the rate of intraoperative adverse events was 4.2%, and the rate of conversion from a minimally invasive approach to a laparotomy was 5.5%,” she said, explaining that adverse events were defined as those greater than grade 2 on the Clavien-Dindo classification scale. “No differences were appreciated across routes [of MIH] in terms of perioperative adverse events or conversion to laparotomy,” she noted.

 

Even after investigators controlled for age, body mass index, uterine weight, history of laparotomy, and parity, as well as surgeon volume and operative time, they found that higher monthly MIH volume, estimated blood loss, and operative time remained significantly associated with both intraoperative adverse events (adjusted odds ratios, 1.9, 2.0, and 22.1, respectively) and postoperative adverse events (aOR, 1.3, 1.4, and 1.9, respectively), she said.

Higher BMI was associated with a lower incidence of intraoperative complications (aOR, 0.1).

“As for conversion to laparotomy, increasing surgeon volume was associated with a lower incidence of conversion (aOR, 0.4), but higher estimated blood loss and uterine weight were associated with a higher incidence of conversion (aOR, 2.6 and 7.1, respectively).”

Study subjects were women with a mean age of 47 years and mean BMI of 31 kg/m² who underwent MIH during January 2014–June 2016 at a tertiary care referral center. Median uterine weight was 409 g, and indications for hysterectomy included fibroids, pelvic pain, abnormal uterine bleeding, and prolapse. Patients with malignancy were excluded.

 

“In the context of high-complexity cases, such as those for large uteri, many factors beyond surgical volume influence perioperative adverse events,” Dr. Bretschneider said, concluding that, to improve patient safety and outcomes, additional studies should be performed to explore the relationship between surgeon experience and patient factors on perioperative outcomes in the setting of common gynecologic procedures.

Dr. Bretschneider reported having no relevant disclosures.

sworcester@frontlinemedcom.com

SOURCE: Bretschneider C et al. SGS 2018, Oral Poster 12.

 

ORLANDO – High case volume for surgeons performing minimally invasive hysterectomies in women with large uteri is associated with an increased rate of perioperative adverse events – but also with a decreased rate of conversion to laparotomy – according to a review of 763 procedures.

The minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH) procedures in the study were performed by 66 surgeons and included 416 total laparoscopic hysterectomies, 196 robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomies, 90 total vaginal hysterectomies, and 61 laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomies, Carol E. Bretschneider, MD, reported at the annual scientific meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons.

The mean monthly case volume was 16.4 and mean MIH volume was 23, said Dr. Bretschneider, a fellow at the Cleveland Clinic.

“The rate of postoperative adverse events was 17.8%, the rate of intraoperative adverse events was 4.2%, and the rate of conversion from a minimally invasive approach to a laparotomy was 5.5%,” she said, explaining that adverse events were defined as those greater than grade 2 on the Clavien-Dindo classification scale. “No differences were appreciated across routes [of MIH] in terms of perioperative adverse events or conversion to laparotomy,” she noted.

 

Even after investigators controlled for age, body mass index, uterine weight, history of laparotomy, and parity, as well as surgeon volume and operative time, they found that higher monthly MIH volume, estimated blood loss, and operative time remained significantly associated with both intraoperative adverse events (adjusted odds ratios, 1.9, 2.0, and 22.1, respectively) and postoperative adverse events (aOR, 1.3, 1.4, and 1.9, respectively), she said.

Higher BMI was associated with a lower incidence of intraoperative complications (aOR, 0.1).

“As for conversion to laparotomy, increasing surgeon volume was associated with a lower incidence of conversion (aOR, 0.4), but higher estimated blood loss and uterine weight were associated with a higher incidence of conversion (aOR, 2.6 and 7.1, respectively).”

Study subjects were women with a mean age of 47 years and mean BMI of 31 kg/m² who underwent MIH during January 2014–June 2016 at a tertiary care referral center. Median uterine weight was 409 g, and indications for hysterectomy included fibroids, pelvic pain, abnormal uterine bleeding, and prolapse. Patients with malignancy were excluded.

 

“In the context of high-complexity cases, such as those for large uteri, many factors beyond surgical volume influence perioperative adverse events,” Dr. Bretschneider said, concluding that, to improve patient safety and outcomes, additional studies should be performed to explore the relationship between surgeon experience and patient factors on perioperative outcomes in the setting of common gynecologic procedures.

Dr. Bretschneider reported having no relevant disclosures.

sworcester@frontlinemedcom.com

SOURCE: Bretschneider C et al. SGS 2018, Oral Poster 12.

 

ORLANDO – High case volume for surgeons performing minimally invasive hysterectomies in women with large uteri is associated with an increased rate of perioperative adverse events – but also with a decreased rate of conversion to laparotomy – according to a review of 763 procedures.

The minimally invasive hysterectomy (MIH) procedures in the study were performed by 66 surgeons and included 416 total laparoscopic hysterectomies, 196 robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomies, 90 total vaginal hysterectomies, and 61 laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomies, Carol E. Bretschneider, MD, reported at the annual scientific meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons.

The mean monthly case volume was 16.4 and mean MIH volume was 23, said Dr. Bretschneider, a fellow at the Cleveland Clinic.

“The rate of postoperative adverse events was 17.8%, the rate of intraoperative adverse events was 4.2%, and the rate of conversion from a minimally invasive approach to a laparotomy was 5.5%,” she said, explaining that adverse events were defined as those greater than grade 2 on the Clavien-Dindo classification scale. “No differences were appreciated across routes [of MIH] in terms of perioperative adverse events or conversion to laparotomy,” she noted.

 

Even after investigators controlled for age, body mass index, uterine weight, history of laparotomy, and parity, as well as surgeon volume and operative time, they found that higher monthly MIH volume, estimated blood loss, and operative time remained significantly associated with both intraoperative adverse events (adjusted odds ratios, 1.9, 2.0, and 22.1, respectively) and postoperative adverse events (aOR, 1.3, 1.4, and 1.9, respectively), she said.

Higher BMI was associated with a lower incidence of intraoperative complications (aOR, 0.1).

“As for conversion to laparotomy, increasing surgeon volume was associated with a lower incidence of conversion (aOR, 0.4), but higher estimated blood loss and uterine weight were associated with a higher incidence of conversion (aOR, 2.6 and 7.1, respectively).”

Study subjects were women with a mean age of 47 years and mean BMI of 31 kg/m² who underwent MIH during January 2014–June 2016 at a tertiary care referral center. Median uterine weight was 409 g, and indications for hysterectomy included fibroids, pelvic pain, abnormal uterine bleeding, and prolapse. Patients with malignancy were excluded.

 

“In the context of high-complexity cases, such as those for large uteri, many factors beyond surgical volume influence perioperative adverse events,” Dr. Bretschneider said, concluding that, to improve patient safety and outcomes, additional studies should be performed to explore the relationship between surgeon experience and patient factors on perioperative outcomes in the setting of common gynecologic procedures.

Dr. Bretschneider reported having no relevant disclosures.

sworcester@frontlinemedcom.com

SOURCE: Bretschneider C et al. SGS 2018, Oral Poster 12.