Moving from vaginal hysterectomy to “no-incision” hysterectomy: how terminology has an impact

Excerpt

It is estimated that one in three women undergo hysterectomy in the USA, with the majority of these procedures performed via open abdominal surgery [1]. It is well known that morbidity related to hysterectomy can be reduced by using less invasive surgical techniques, such as vaginal and laparoscopic approaches. In some countries, the proportion of vaginal hysterectomies is over 40 % and in others, the proportion of laparoscopic hysterectomies is over 80 %, with a resultant decreased number of abdominal hysterectomies being performed [2, 3]. However, despite the availability of vaginal hysterectomy for over a century and that of laparoscopic hysterectomy for almost three decades, the most common procedure currently performed worldwide is still abdominal hysterectomy. Recently, robotic hysterectomy has been introduced and has been rapidly adopted in some countries, including the USA. Despite a lack of scientific evidence supporting its routine use, it is estimated that robotic hysterectomy now accounts for over 40 % of hysterectomies in some areas of the USA [4]. …