Routine use of ureteric catheters at laparoscopic hysterectomy may cause unnecessary complications.

STUDY

OBJECTIVE

To test the use of ureteric catheters in preventing ureteric trauma during laparoscopic hysterectomy.

DESIGN

Prospective study of 492 consecutive women.

SETTING

Pelosi Women's Medical Center, New Jersey, and Cliveden Hill Private Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

PATIENTS: Four hundred ninety-two consecutive women.

INTERVENTIONS: Laparoscopic hysterectomy was performed in all women. Because of the reported increased risk of ureteric trauma during laparoscopic hysterectomy, we passed ureteric catheters in 92 such procedures and ceased the practice with the last 400 when further reports suggested lack of increased risk.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

Oliguria and anuria occurred in 7 of 92 patients having ureteric catheterization. No ureteric trauma occurred in 400 patients without ureteric catheterization. The injury rate in this series was significantly lower than in three other series of abdominal hysterectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

As long as surgical techniques incorporate various procedures to avoid ureteric injury, routine ureteric catheterization during laparoscopic hysterectomy is not indicated and may result in unnecessary complications.