Pregnancy outcomes and deliveries following laparoscopic transsection of uterine vessels: A pilot study

Objective: To assess pregnancy outcomes and deliveries after laparoscopic uterine artery transsection (LTUV) in symptomatic women with fibroids. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Endoscopic Training Center, Baby Friendly Hospital, Kladno, Czech Republic. Design: One hundred and fifty three patients underwent laparoscopic transsection of uterine vessels during a 4-year period. Results: Nine of the 21 women desiring pregnancy conceived spontaneously and one after anovulation treatment. The average age of the women was 32.4 years, and the range was 26-39 years. Two women had vaginal delivery at term and one delivered vaginally at 31 weeks secondary to premature preterm rupture of membrane (PROM). Four others delivered at term by cesarean section. One woman with placenta previa was delivered by cesarean section 3 weeks before term. Mean birth weight was 3199 g (range 1710-3910 g). One spontaneous abortion was reported in the first trimester of pregnancy. One case of undesired pregnancy occurred. An extrauterine pregnancy was reported in this woman. Conclusion: LTUV is a minimally invasive operative procedure, that preserves the uterus and ovarian blood supply and allows for the achievement of pregnancy in women with symptomatic fibroids. Fetal growth and umbilical Doppler findings remained normal in all cases. An increased risk for preterm delivery and cesarean section was found in this small series. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.