Benefit of uterine artery ligation in laparoscopic myomectomy

Objective: To determine the impact of uterine artery ligation in laparoscopic myomectomy, according to surgical results and clinical outcomes. Design: Single-center, nonrandomized, comparative study. Setting: University hospital, tertiary referral center. Patient(s): Ninety women undergoing laparoscopic myomectomy. Intervention(s): Laparoscopic myomectomy with or without uterine artery ligation. Main Outcome Measure(s): Surgical results and clinical outcomes. Result(s): Fifty-one patients (56.6%) underwent laparoscopic myomectomy with uterine artery ligation (group A), and 39 patients (43.3%) underwent laparoscopic myomectomy alone (group B). The mean operating time was 100.0 +/- 33.8 minutes in group A and 90.0 +/- 37.1 minutes in group B. Both groups were similar with respect to mean blood loss (72.3 +/- 109.0 mL vs. 62.6 +/- 77.3 mL). The myoma recurrence rate in group A was significantly less than in group B after a median follow-up period of 11.1 months (2% vs. 13%). Conclusion(s): Both groups were similar with respect to surgical results. However, the recurrence rate was significantly lower in group A compared with group B. (Fertil Steril(R) 2011;95:775-8. (C) 2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)