Effect of oxytocin infusion on reducing blood loss during abdominal myomectomy: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To assess oxytocin infusion efficacy in terms of mean blood loss in patients undergoing abdominal myomectomy. METHODS: The single-blind randomised control trial was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, July 15, 2017, to January 15, 2018, and comprised women with intramural fibroids of American Society of Anaesthesia class I and II who were candidates for elective abdominal myomectomy. The women were randomised into study and control groups. In the study group, an infusion of 30 units of oxytocin in 1000ml normal saline was given at the rate of 15 units/hour during surgery. In the control group, pure normal saline was given. The main outcome measure was intra-operative blood loss. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 60 women, there were 30(50%) in the study group with a mean age of 37.10±4.35 years, and 30(50%) in the control group with a mean age of 36.67±3.70 (p>0.05). Mean intra-operative blood loss in the study group was 409.67±181.29ml which was significantly lower than the control group 875.33±284.71 (p<0.05). The mean surgery time also showed statistically significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05). In the study group, 3(10%) patients required blood transfusion, while blood was transfused to 11(36.6%) patients in the control group (p=0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Oxytocin, when given as an infusion, was found to be effective in reducing blood loss during abdominal myomectomy.