ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION Of approximately 650,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the United States, 80% are performed abdominally rather than vaginally. Most gynecological surgeons consider nulliparity and uterine size greater than that at 12 weeks of gestation to be contraindications for vaginal hysterectomy [1]. Dorsey et al. noted that an abdominal hysterectomy was more likely to be performed when there was a suspicion of malignancy and laparoscopic hysterectomy to be performed when there was a suspicion of endometriosis [1]. Summit et al. noted that vaginal hysterectomy was associated with shorter operative and anesthesia time and lower total hospital cost compared to the laparoscopic route [2]. A number of authors have concluded that surgeon preference largely dictates the type of hysterectomy [1,3].
