A multicenter randomized, controlled study comparing laparoscopic versus minilaparotomic myomectomy: reproductive outcomes

ObjectiveTo assess the reproductive outcomes after minilaparotomic and laparoscopic myomectomy in patients wishing to conceive.DesignRandomized controlled trial.SettingDepartments of obstetrics and gynecology of the universities of Catanzaro, Rome, and Florence, Italy.Patient(s)One hundred thirty-six women with symptomatic uterine leiomyomas or unexplained infertility.Intervention(s)Laparoscopic and minilaparotomic myomectomy.Main Outcome Measure(s)Pregnancy, abortion, and live-birth rates.Result(s)Between the laparoscopic and minilaparotomic groups no difference was observed in cumulative pregnancy, live-birth, and abortion rates, whereas pregnancy and live-birth rates per cycle, and time to first pregnancy and live-birth were significantly higher in the laparoscopic than in the minilaparotomic group. Categorizing the patients according to surgical indication for myomectomy, cumulative pregnancy rate, pregnancy, and live-birth rates per cycle, and time to first pregnancy and live-birth were significantly better after laparoscopic myomectomy in symptomatic patients, whereas all reproductive outcomes were similar between the two groups in patients with unexplained infertility.Conclusion(s)Minilaparotomic and laparoscopic myomectomy improves in a similar manner the reproductive outcomes in patients with unexplained infertility, whereas the laparoscopic approach provides the best benefits in fertile patients with symptomatic leiomyomas.