Comparing uterine fibroids treated by myomectomy through traditional laparotomy and 2 modified approaches: ultraminilaparotomy and laparoscopically assisted ultraminilaparotomy

OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare myomectomy performed by laparotomy (LT), and 2 other modified approaches: ultraminilaparotomy (UMLT) and laparoscopically assisted UMLT for uterine fibroids with a size <8 cm and the number <5. STUDY DESIGN: A cohort study, including 79 (35.3%) women in the LT group, 71 (31.7%) in the UMLT group, and 74 (33.0%) in the laparoscopically assisted UMLT group, was conducted. The outcome was measured by comparing surgical parameters, immediate postoperative recovery, and therapeutic outcomes. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 52 months with similar recurrence rates in the 3 groups. The modified approaches had advantages not only in the surgical parameters, but also in postoperative recovery, compared to LT (all P < .05). CONCLUSION: UMLT and laparoscopically assisted UMLT can be used successfully in place of LT in the management of uterine fibroids.