OBJECTIVE: To compare laparoscopic hysterectomy and abdominal total hysterectomy regarding influence on postoperative psychological wellbeing and surgical measures. DESIGN: A prospective, open, randomised multicentre trial.

SETTING: Five hospitals in the South East of Sweden.

POPULATION: Hundred and twenty-five women scheduled for hysterectomy for benign conditions were enrolled in the study, and 119 women completed the study. Fifty-six women were randomised to abdominal hysterectomy and 63 to laparoscopic hysterectomy.

METHODS: Psychometric tests measuring general wellbeing, depression and anxiety preoperatively and 5 weeks and 6 months postoperatively.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effects of operating method on the psychological wellbeing postoperatively. Analysis of data regarding operating time, peroperative and postoperative complications, blood loss, hospital stay and recovery time.

RESULTS: No significant differences in the scores were observed between the two groups in any of the four psychometric tests. Both the surgical methods were associated with a significantly higher degree of psychological wellbeing 5 weeks postoperatively compared with preoperatively. The operating time was significantly longer for the laparoscopic hysterectomy group, but the duration of the stay in hospital and sick-leave were significantly shorter for laparoscopic hysterectomy group compared with the abdominal hysterectomy group.

CONCLUSIONS: General psychological wellbeing is equal after laparoscopic and abdominal hysterectomy within 6 months after the operation. The advantages of the laparoscopic hysterectomy are the shorter stay in hospital and shorter sick-leave, but these issues must be balanced by a longer duration of the operation.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the day-by-day recovery of general wellbeing was faster in women undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy than in total abdominal hysterectomy and to analyse the association between stress coping and sick-leave and the day-by-day recovery measured as general wellbeing.

STUDY DESIGN: A randomised multicentre trial conducted in five hospitals in the South East of Sweden. Hundred and twenty-five women scheduled for hysterectomy for benign conditions were enrolled in the study and 117 women completed the study. Fifty-five women were randomised to abdominal hysterectomy and 62 to laparoscopic hysterectomy. Day-by-day recovery of general wellbeing was measured by a visual analogue scale 1 week preoperatively, 35 days postoperatively, and during 1 week 6 months postoperatively. Stress-coping capability was measured preoperatively using a specific psychometric measurement. Sick-leave was granted with an initial period of 14 days and prolonged on patient demand with 7 days periods. Effects of operating method and stress-coping ability on the day-by-day recovery adjusted for postoperative complications and analgesics were analysed by means of analysis of variance for repeated measurements.

RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the day-by-day recovery of the general wellbeing between the operating methods. Stress-coping ability did significantly influence the day-by-day recovery of general wellbeing. Duration of sick-leave was associated with the occurrence of postoperative complications but not with stress-coping ability.

CONCLUSIONS: The day-by-day recovery of general wellbeing is not faster in laparoscopic hysterectomy than in abdominal hysterectomy. Women with high stress-coping abilities have a better outcome in general wellbeing than women with low stress-coping capacity. Identification of women with low stress-coping abilities and prevention of complications might be of benefit for improving postoperative wellbeing.

Objective: To compare subtotal abdominal hysterectomy (SH) and total abdominal hysterectomy (TH) regarding influence on postoperative psychological well‐being and surgical outcome measurements.

Design: A prospective, open, randomised multicenter trial.

Setting: Seven hospitals and one private clinic in the south‐east of Sweden. Population: 200 women scheduled for abdominal hysterectomy for benign conditions were enrolled in the study; 179 women completed the study (94 SH and 85 TH).

Methods: Four different psychometric tests measuring general well‐being, depression and anxiety preoperatively, six and 12 months postoperatively. Statistical analysis of variance and covariance were used. Main outcome measures: Effects of operating method on psychological well‐being postoperatively. Analysis of demographic, clinical and surgical data including peri‐ and postoperative complications and complaints at follow‐up.

Results: No significant differences were observed between the two groups in any of the psychometric tests. Both surgical methods were associated with a significantly higher degree of psychological well‐being six and 12 months postoperatively compared with preoperatively. The operating time was significantly longer for TH than SH. No significant differences were found in the clinical measures including complications. A substantial number of women experienced persistent cyclic vaginal bleedings after SH. Neither minor or major postoperative complications nor serum concentration of sex hormones were associated with the psychological general well‐being 12 months after the operation. Conclusions: General psychological well‐being is equally improved after both SH and TH within 12 months after the operation and does not seem to be associated with occurrence of perioperative complications or serum concentration of sex hormones.

Objective: To determine whether the day‐byday postoperative recovery differs between women undergoing subtotal and total abdominal hysterectomy and to analyse factors associated with postoperative recovery and sick‐leave.

Design: A prospective, open, randomised multicenter trial.

Setting: Seven hospitals and one private clinic in the south‐east of Sweden.

Population: 200 women scheduled for hysterectomy for benign conditions were enrolled in the study and 178 women completed the study. 94 women were randomised to subtotal abdominal hysterectomy and 84 to total abdominal hysterectomy.

Methods: Day‐by day recovery of general well‐being measured by a visual analogue scale in a diary seven days preoperatively and 35 days postoperatively. Psychometric measurements included depression, anxiety and general psychological well‐being.

Main outcome measures: Effects of operating method and preoperative well‐being on the day‐by‐day recovery and sick‐leave duration.

Results: No significant difference was found in the day‐by‐day recovery between operating methods. Day‐by‐day recovery of general well‐being and duration of sick‐leave was strongly associated with the occurrence of minor complications but not with major complications. The level of psychological wellbeing preoperatively was strongly associated with the day‐by‐day recovery of general wellbeing and duration of sick‐leave.

Conclusions: Day‐by‐day recovery of general well‐being is not faster in subtotal versus total abdominal hysterectomy. Independent of operation method there is an interaction between preoperative psychological wellbeing, postoperative recovery of general wellbeing and duration of sick‐leave. Postoperative complications and preoperative psychological well‐being are strong determinants for duration of sick‐leave. There is a need for intervention studies with focus on complications and preoperative well‐being.