SONOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF THE VAGINAL VAULT FOLLOWING HYSTERECTOMY

Objective. A prospective study to determine the sonographic appearance of the vaginal vault following hysterectomy. Methods. A transvaginal sonographic examination of the vaginal vault on the third postoperative day. Follow-up to determine the incidence of postoperative morbidity. Results. An accurate sonographic examination of the vaginal vault was possible in 66/71 cases (92.9%). Fluid collections were visible in 28/66 cases (42.4%), and measured up to 41.1 cm2 in the transverse plane and 30.2 cm(2) in the sagittal plane. There was no correlation between the presence of a collection and indices of postoperative morbidity. Conclusion. Collections of fluid at the vaginal vault are common after hysterectomy, but do not usually contribute to postoperative morbidity.