Vaginal Myomectomy Using the Dührssen (Longitudinal Median Cervical) Incision: A Case Series of 19 Patients

Abstract Study Objective To examine demographics and outcome measures of women having undergone vaginal excision of myomas through the Duhrssen (longitudinal median cervical) incision. Design Prospective case series (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). Setting A London teaching hospital. Patients Nineteen patients with either a submucous myoma (type 1) located near the cervix or a pedunculated intracavity myoma (type 0), excised via the Duhrssen incision. Interventions Duhrssen (median longitudinal) incision on the anterior or posterior cervical lip. Measurements and Main Results Duration of procedures, intraoperative complications, estimated blood loss, length of stay, percent of patients discharged in 24 hours, and readmission rates were studied. Between 2009 and 2016, 19 women had their myomas (submucous type 1, n = 17; pedunculated intracavity type 0, n = 2) removed vaginally with the Duhrssen incision. The median age at time of procedure was 46 years (range, 43–55), and the most common indication was menorrhagia, which occurred in 90% of cases. The median myoma size was 7 cm (range, 6–9), whereas the median duration of surgery was 60 minutes (range, 40–120). Anterior cervical incisions were performed in 60% of cases, and 20% of the patients received gonadotropins for medical debulking of the myomas before surgery. One patient sustained a bladder injury that occurred when making the anterior cervical incision. The median length of stay was 8 hours (range, 6–36) and the median estimated blood loss was 90 mL (range, 50–150). The median duration of follow-up was 4 years (range, .5–6), and no patients had symptoms that were attributable to the procedure. Conclusion This is a useful technique that complements a minimally invasive surgeon's repertoire and is a viable alternative when hysteroscopic myomectomy is deemed unsuitable because of location and size of the myomas.