Barriers for the Uptake of LaparoScopic Hysterectomy (LIgHT)

What Would it Take to Reduce the Proportion of Women Who Have a Hysterectomy Via an Open Abdominal Approach in Australia?

Hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus) is the most common major gynaecological operation in women in developed countries. In Queensland, 6000 women require a hysterectomy for irregular periods, benign tumours or pelvic pain every year. Surgical approaches to surgical removal of the uterus (womb) include Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (LH), Vaginal Hysterectomy (VH) and Abdominal Hysterectomy through an abdominal incision (AH).

It is widely accepted that LH and VH are less invasive surgical procedures, cause less bleeding, surgical complications and pain and are associated with quicker recovery from surgery than the more invasive AH. In a clinical trial comparing LH and AH we recently demonstrated that LH outperforms AH with regards to cost effectiveness causing less total health-services cost than AH.

Implementation of LH in Queensland could save $9.8 million every year. Despite the evidence for LH and VH, 2600 hysterectomies (43%) are still performed through an open, abdominal incision. In brief, a common but outdated operation is still performed regularly causing not only unnecessary pain, surgical adverse events and longer hospital stay but also increased healthcare costs.

This study will assess reasons why a significant number of gynaecologists and patients prefer AH over LH (Barriers to the uptake of laparoscopic hysterectomy). We will survey specialist gynaecologists as well as patients who have had a hysterectomy for different health reasons. Based on the information from the survey the investigators will develop an intervention to increase the rate of laparoscopic hysterectomies in Queensland and pilot test it.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hysterectomy

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 1200

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Australia
  • Queensland
    • Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4029
      • University of Queensland

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: ADULT; OLDER_ADULT; CHILD
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Members of RANZCOG community sample

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Obstetricians and Gynaecologists or Women who have had a hysterectomy in the previous 2 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women who have had a hysterectomy more than 2 years ago
• Women who had a hysterectomy for cancerous conditions

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Consumers; Women who have had a Hysterectomy in the previous 2 years
Doctors; Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Questionnaire will identify barriers	12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer
• Collaborators: Queensland University of Technology
• Investigators: Study Chair: Andreas Obermair, Queensland Health

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): April 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): April 1, 2016
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): December 1, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 16, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 17, 2014
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): June 19, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): March 20, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 18, 2019
• Last Verified: March 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: total abdominal hysterectomy, total laparoscopic hysterectomy, vaginal hysterectomy
• Other Study ID Numbers: LiGHT

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO