Results:
A total of 620 LSC were performed in our department in the study
period and 512 women were enrolled in the study and randomized. The
McGill pain questionnaire was completed by 274 women and these were
included in this early postoperative analysis. Vaginal pack was inserted
in 132 (48%) women (Figure 1). There were no differences regarding the
concomitant surgery on the uterus - 92 women had vaginal vault prolapse,
138 women underwent a concomitant supracervical hysterectomy and the
uterus was preserved in 44 women (Table 1). Similarly, the groups did
not differ in basic preoperative characteristics (age, BMI, smoking),
nor surgical characteristics including duration of the surgery,
estimated blood loss, Redon drainage insertion and perioperative
complications (Table 1). There were 6 bladder perforations, three in
each group and one intraperitoneal hematoma requiring drainage on
postoperative day 2 in the packing group. No adverse events associated
with vaginal packing were noted.
Low values of postoperative pain were observed in all scores of McGill
Pain questionnaire including VAS. No difference in postoperative pain
was detected between the groups as demonstrated in Table 2. Similarly,
patient satisfaction with the surgery on day one before pack extraction
or overall satisfaction on day 4 did not differ (Table 3).
The mean haemoglobin levels on day 4 were comparable (12.7±1.2 vs.
12.8±1.2 g/dl, p=.516). Significant bacteriuria incidence
(≥105 colony-forming units (CFU) per mL of urine) did
not differ between the groups (17 (12.9%) vs 18 (12.7%), p = .319). In
the majority of cases, it was asymptomatic. These were not nosocomial
infections as the pathogens included common urinary pathogens such as
Escherichia coli (45.7%), Enterococcus faecalis. (31.4%).