Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy

Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LASH) is a minimally invasive procedure that was developed during the 1990s. Although LASH has gained in importance, prospective randomized trials comparing LASH with other hysterectomies are very sparse. The benefits of laparoscopic hysterectomy compared with an open abdominal approach are well documented. However, nearly 20 years after the first reports of different techniques of laparoscopic hysterectomy, abdominal hysterectomy is still the predominant surgical technique worldwide. Advocates of LASH suggest that the procedure is easier to perform, is less invasive, and carries a lower risk of ureteric injuries and infectious complications compared with total laparoscopic hysterectomy. Opponents of LASH, however, are concerned with the persistent risk of cervical stump symptoms such as persistent vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain following LASH, causing patient distress and, eventually, repeated surgery. The aim of this work was to screen the actual data for the local value of LASH. © 2010 Springer Medizin Verlag.