Perioperative Complications of Hysterectomy After a Previous Cesarean Section: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: With increasing rates of cesarean sections (CS), the number of hysterectomies performed among women with a previous CS is on the rise. Objective: To provide the association between the odds of complications following a hysterectomy performed later in life and a previous CS. Search strategy: A comprehensive search was performed using major electronic databases, ie, MEDLINE, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, from their inception to April 2019. Selection criteria: Analytical studies, irrespective of language or publication status, were included. Data collection and analysis: Outcomes were extracted in duplicate. The methodological quality of the included studies was independently evaluated by two review authors. A three-level meta-analysis was applied for outcomes with dependent effect sizes. Main results: Twenty-six studies were included involving 54,815 women. The odds of the following complications were increased in women with a previous CS: urinary tract injury (pooled unadjusted odds ratio (OR)=3.15, 95% CI=2.01-4.94, 15 studies, 33,902 women, and pooled adjusted OR=2.21, 95% CI=1.46-3.34, 3 studies, 31,038 women), gastrointestinal tract injury (pooled unadjusted OR=1.73, 95% CI=1.19-2.53; 7 studies, 30,050, and pooled adjusted OR=1.83, 95% CI=1.11-3.03, 1 study, 25,354 women), postoperative infections (pooled unadjusted OR=1.44, 95% CI=1.22-1.71, 6 studies, 37,832 women), wound complications (pooled unadjusted OR=2.24, 95% CI=1.94-2.57, 9 studies, 37,559 women), reoperation (pooled unadjusted OR=1.46, 95% CI=1.19-1.78, 2 studies, 9,899 women), and blood transfusion (pooled unadjusted OR=1.35, 95% CI=1.03-1.76, 7 studies, 13,430 women). Conclusion: Previous CS increases risks of various complications following hysterectomy. This information reminds the gynecologists to be aware of the associations between previous CS and potential complications among women undergoing hysterectomy.