Purpose: To determine whether or not the risk of recurrence of uterine leiomyoma (UL) was different between laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) and open myomectomy (OM).
Methods: This study combined a multicenter cohort study with a meta-analysis. The cohort study included women aged 18-44 years with 1-3 leiomyomas who underwent LM or OM for UL at one of three teaching hospitals. The meta-analysis included trials comparing recurrence rates of UL between OM and LM.
Results: A total of 396 patients (LM: n = 83; OM: n = 313) were recruited in the cohort study. For women aged 18-44 years with 1-3 leiomyomas, surgical approach (LM vs. OM) was not an independent risk factor of UL recurrence (31.3% vs. 34.2%, P = 0.571), and the reoperation rate of UL was similar between the LM and OM (2.4% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.726). A total of 2566 patients were meta-analyzed. The recurrence of UL was similar between LM and OM when the patients had ≤ 5 leiomyomas (OR 1.10; 95% CI 0.76-1.61; P = 0.610; I2 = 0%), while the recurrence rate in LM group was higher when the patients had > 5 leiomyomas (OR 1.50; 95% CI 1.14-1.97; P = 0.004; I2 = 38%).
Conclusion: From the meta-analysis, the recurrence rate of UL was similar between LM and OM when the patients had ≤ 5 leiomyomas, while the recurrence of LM was higher when the number of leiomyomas was > 5. The cohort study partially supported this conclusion and it further proved the reoperation rate of UL was also similar among women aged 18-44 years with ≤ 3 leiomyomas. Therefore, OM should be considered for patients with > 3 or 5 leiomyomas if myomectomy has already been chosen.
Keywords: Laparoscopic myomectomy; Open myomectomy; Uterine leiomyoma.