Application of a ‘Baseball’ Suture Technique in Uterine Myomectomy Following Laparoscopic Enucleation of Uterine Leiomyoma (Fibroid)
Lingling Xie, Yunyun Liu, Dongyan Wang, Changhao Liu, Hui Zhou, Zhongqiu Lin, Huaiwu Lu
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (mainland)
Med Sci Monit 2018; 24: CLR3042-3049
DOI: 10.12659/MSM.909143
Available online:
Published: 2018-05-09

BACKGROUND:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a ‘baseball’ suture technique for uterine myomectomy incision closure in laparoscopic surgical enucleation of uterine leiomyoma (fibroid).
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
The study included 20 patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy with a ‘baseball’ suture technique, compared with 20 patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy with a standard suture method. Clinical characteristics, perioperative and follow-up data were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS:
For the study group, compared with the standard or control group, had a significantly reduced operation time (60.15±9.97 min vs. 71.85±9.74 min) and suturing time (18.05±4.71 min vs. 28.35±3.13 min) (both p<0.05), significantly less intraoperative blood loss (93.25±19.62 ml vs. 121.50±24.87 ml) (p<0.05) and significantly less reduction in postoperative hemoglobin levels (8.9±1.97 g/L vs. 11.15±2.23 g/L) (p<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in duration of the use of the indwelling drainage tube, drainage volume, or time to recovery of gastrointestinal function (all, p>0.05). Following surgery, blood transfusion was given to one patient in the study group and two patients in the control group. One patient from each group had a fever. There was no significant difference in pregnancy outcomes between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS:
The ‘baseball’ suture technique for closure of the uterine incision is a safe and effective method for use in laparoscopic myomectomy. However, the long-term recovery outcomes require further study.
Keywords: Laparoscopy, Suture Techniques, Uterine Myomectomy