A two-layer vaginal cuff closure during total laparoscopic hysterectomy is associated with fewer postoperative complications, compared with a standard one-layer closure, according to a retrospective study of approximately 3,000 patients.
The difference is driven by fewer vaginal cuff complications among patients whose surgeons used the two-layer technique, said Ann Peters, MD, of Magee-Womens Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
In light of these findings, Dr. Peters switched to using a two-layer closure. More surgeons may adopt this method, she said at the annual meeting sponsored by AAGL, held virtually this year.
Modifiable factors
Complications after total laparoscopic hysterectomy may be associated with modifiable surgical risk factors such as surgical volume, expertise, and suture material. The method of vaginal cuff closure also plays an important role, but few studies have compared multilayer and single-layer vaginal cuff closure, Dr. Peters said.
To investigate this question, Dr. Peters and colleagues analyzed data from 2,973 women who underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indications during a 6-year period at their institution.
The analysis included 1,760 patients (59%) who underwent single-layer closure and 1,213 (41%) who underwent two-layer closure. The closure method was a matter of surgeon preference. Aside from the closure technique, other aspects of the surgeries were standardized.
The primary outcome was the rate of 30-day postoperative complications. Secondary outcomes included vaginal cuff complications during 6 months of follow-up.
The groups generally had similar baseline characteristics, although patients in the two-layer group had lower body mass index and were less likely to use tobacco.
Intraoperative complications and postoperative readmissions did not differ between the groups. The rate of postoperative complications, however, was lower in the two-layer group: 3.5% versus 5.6%. Likewise, the rate of vaginal cuff complications was lower in the two-layer group: 0.9% versus 2.5%.
No instances of vaginal cuff dehiscence or mucosal separation occurred in the two-layer group, whereas 12 cases of dehiscence and 4 cases of mucosal separation occurred in the one-layer group.
Although the study is limited by its retrospective design, the surgeons had similar training and many variables, including the sutures used, were equal or standardized, Dr. Peters noted.
Avoiding rare complications
Grace M. Janik, MD, of Reproductive Specialty Center in Milwaukee, has long theorized that two-layer closure may be beneficial. This study provides data to support that theory, Dr. Janik said in a discussion following the research presentation.
Given that hysterectomy is a common procedure, “any optimization ... has implications for a large number of women,” Dr. Janik said. Although rare outcomes such as dehiscence are difficult to study, the large number of patients in this analysis allowed the investigators to detect differences between the groups.
Studies of vaginal cuff closure have yielded mixed results. For example, various studies have suggested that laparoscopic closure may be inferior to, equal to, or superior to vaginal closure. Together, the findings indicate that “what we are doing is probably more important than the route,” said Dr. Janik.
Along with multilayer closure, the use of delayed absorbable sutures and adequate tissue bites are other factors that may lead to fewer complications, Dr. Janik noted.
Dr. Peters and Dr. Janik had no relevant financial disclosures. A study coauthor is a consultant for Medtronic and Olympus. The statistical analysis was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
SOURCE: Ali R et al. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2020 Nov. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2020.08.603.