RT Journal
A1 Durfee RB
T1 POsterior colpotomy incisions in gynecologic disease
JF Journal of the American Medical Association
JO Journal of the American Medical Association
YR 1959
FD April 4
VO 169
IS 14
SP 1594
OP 1598
DO 10.1001/jama.1959.03000310046010
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1959.03000310046010
AB Posterior colpotomy has the advantage over culdoscopy and colpocentesis in that it gives much more diagnostic information. It is safer than anterior colpotomy, which has to be done with special care to avoid the bladder, ureters, and perivesical venous plexuses. Moreover, by extension of the incision after diagnosis and using proper retraction, considerable pelvic surgery can be accomplished. Colpotomy was carried out in 94 women, the most frequent indication being ovarian cyst (29 cases). In the technique which is described, a posterior incision was used in all but two cases. The most frequent findings were ovarian cyst (34 cases) and pelvic inflammatory disease (17). Recovery was uncomplicated in 84 cases; five patients had postoperative complications and five others subsequently underwent laparotomy. The results justified the procedure, which is less traumatic than exploratory laparotomy and can be used in many situations in which an exploratory laparotomy is not really indicated.