WOMEN undergoing a hysterectomy via keyhole surgery are half as likely to suffer complications than those that opt for open abdominal surgery, a study has shown.
The worldwide surgical trial results, which were published in Lancet Oncology today, hopes to provide women with a quicker and less traumatic recovery from uterine cancer treatment.
Brisbane gynaecological oncologist Professor Andreas Obermair, who chaired the study at the Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer, said thousands of women were set to benefit.
He said patients undergoing a hysterectomy or removal of ovaries via the keyhole surgical approach generally left the hospital within one to two days.
“This gives them a recovery rate of two to three weeks and a 50 per cent reduction in post-operative complication rates,” Prof Obermair said.
“When considering that patients will spend five to seven days in hospital with a recovery time of four to six weeks for open abdominal surgery, more women will now undergo keyhole surgery in the treatment of uterine cancer.”
The trial assessed 759 patients who were enrolled through 20 gynaecological cancer centres worldwide.
Another discovery from the trial was that patients undergoing keyhole surgery also benefited from a greater quality of life up to six months following their surgery in terms of physical, functional and overall wellbeing.
Prof Obermair said the clinical study confirmed long-held medical suspicions that keyhole surgery delivered far superior results to patients than open abdominal surgery.
“Each year in Australia approximately 2000 women are diagnosed with uterine cancer and another 35,000 require a hysterectomy for other causes than cancer,” he said.
“As a surgeon it is enormously satisfying to offer a procedure that produces the same results in a much more effective way.”
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