LAUSR

OBJECTIVE To assess the safety and efficacy of barbed suture laparoscopic myomectomy for large posterior myoma compared to conventional suture. STUDY DESIGN Descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Gynecology, Affiliated Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China between July 2019 and June 2020. METHODOLOGY All cases of laparoscopic myomectomy for large posterior myoma (≥8cm in the largest diametre) were retrospectively reviewed. The surgical technique was identical except the selection of suture material. A comparison between the barbed suture and conventional suture was performed in terms of clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes such as total operative time, suture time, intraoperative blood loss, and changes in hemoglobin concentration. RESULTS A total of 48 eligible cases, 24 cases with barbed sutures and 24 cases with conventional sutures were included in the final analysis. Patients' clinical characteristics such as age, body mass index, number, and size of myomas were similar between the two groups. In patients with barbed sutures, the time for suturing, the total operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and the changes in hemoglobin concentration were significantly lower than in conventional sutures (all p<0.05). No significant differences in time for enucleation, time for morcellation, and postoperative complications were found between the two groups. Two patients with conventional sutures received postoperative emergent uterine artery embolization and three patients received a blood transfusion. CONCLUSIONS The use of barbed sutures could reduce the difficulty and enhance safety in laparoscopic myomectomy for large posterior myoma. KEY WORDS Barbed suture, Laparoscopy, Myomectomy, Posterior.