hystercetomy Flashcards
common acute and long term complications of hysterectomy
Common long term complications of vaginal hysterectomy with antero-posterior repair include enterocoele and vaginal vault prolapse. Urinary retention may occur acutely following hysterectomy, but it is not usually a chronic complication.
You are the surgical FY1 talking to a patient about her forthcoming vaginal hysterectomy with antero-posterior repair. Which of the following is a long-term complication of this procedure?
Urinary retention
12%
Vaginal vault prolapse
71%
Rectocele
10%
Rectal mucosal prolapse
6%
Diverticulitis
1%
The correct answer is Vaginal vault prolapse. This is a long-term complication of vaginal hysterectomy with anteroposterior repair. This condition occurs when the upper portion of the vagina loses its normal shape and sags or drops down into the vaginal canal or outside of the vagina. It may occur if pelvic floor muscles are weakened during the hysterectomy, which can lead to inadequate support for the vagina.
Urinary retention is incorrect as it’s typically a short-term and not a long-term complication following gynaecological surgery. It may be caused by various factors such as anaesthetic effects, postoperative pain, immobility or pre-existing bladder dysfunction but these are usually temporary.
Rectocele, also known as posterior vaginal wall prolapse, is another incorrect option. While it might seem like a potential long-term complication, this condition would have been addressed and fixed during an anteroposterior repair. Hence, it should not reoccur unless there was surgical failure.
Rectal mucosal prolapse is also an incorrect choice because it’s not directly related to a vaginal hysterectomy with anteroposterior repair. Rectal mucosal prolapse refers to protrusion of the rectal mucosa through the anus which can occur due to chronic straining or weakness in the rectal supporting tissues - conditions that are not typically induced by this type of surgery.
Finally, Diverticulitis is incorrect as well because it’s a digestive disease unrelated to gynaecological surgeries. Diverticulitis happens when small bulging pouches (diverticula) that form in your digestive system get inflamed or infected - a process unrelated to a vaginal hysterectomy with anteroposterior repair.
The correct answer is Vaginal vault prolapse. This is a long-term complication of vaginal hysterectomy with anteroposterior repair. This condition occurs when the upper portion of the vagina loses its normal shape and sags or drops down into the vaginal canal or outside of the vagina. It may occur if pelvic floor muscles are weakened during the hysterectomy, which can lead to inadequate support for the vagina.
Urinary retention is incorrect as it’s typically a short-term and not a long-term complication following gynaecological surgery. It may be caused by various factors such as anaesthetic effects, postoperative pain, immobility or pre-existing bladder dysfunction but these are usually temporary.
Rectocele, also known as posterior vaginal wall prolapse, is another incorrect option. While it might seem like a potential long-term complication, this condition would have been addressed and fixed during an anteroposterior repair. Hence, it should not reoccur unless there was surgical failure.
Rectal mucosal prolapse is also an incorrect choice because it’s not directly related to a vaginal hysterectomy with anteroposterior repair. Rectal mucosal prolapse refers to protrusion of the rectal mucosa through the anus which can occur due to chronic straining or weakness in the rectal supporting tissues - conditions that are not typically induced by this type of surgery.
Finally, Diverticulitis is incorrect as well because it’s a digestive disease unrelated to gynaecological surgeries. Diverticulitis happens when small bulging pouches (diverticula) that form in your digestive system get inflamed or infected - a process unrelated to a vaginal hysterectomy with anteroposterior repair.
