Compliance and complications of culdotomy.

BACKGROUND: Culdotomy is a practically exclusive appanage of gynaecological surgeons. Today the transvaginal access to pelvis and abdominal cavity is also utilized for non-gynecological surgery.

METHODS: The authors report the complications and compliance of 326 culdotomies performed in the Simple Maternity Unit of Asiago Hospital (Asiago, Vicenza, Italy). The casuistry includes 18 adnexetomies, 90 ovarian cysts and fibroids enucleations and/or resections, 23 paraovarian cysts removals, 59 myomectomies, 120 sterilizations, 11 salpingectomies, 1 adesiolysis, 2 ovarian biopsies and 1 abscess drainage.

RESULTS: Couldtomy showed to be a procedure with good results in terms of 18 grade 1 and 1 grade IV (5.8%) of Clavien-Dindo grading system for classification of surgical complications, the incidence of conversions in laparotomies, laparoscopies and vaginal hysterectomy (3.1%), the average hospital postoperatory admission (25 hours), low cost of culdotomy compared to laparotomic and laparoscopic surgery; absence of dispareunia and/or other discomforts at long term.

CONCLUSIONS: Culdotomy is a simple, proper and alternative route, especially when morcellation is unavoidable.