[Hysterectomies at the Conakry university hospitals: social, demographic, and clinical characteristics, types, indications, surgical approaches, and prognosis].

The objectives of this study were to calculate the frequency of hysterectomies at the Conakry university hospitals (Donka Hospital and Ignace Deen Hospital), describe the women's social, demographic, and clinical characteristics, and identify the key indications, the surgical techniques used, and the prognosis. This was a 2-year descriptive study, retrospective for the first year (May 2011-April 2012) and prospective for the second (May 2012-April 2013), of 333 consecutive hysterectomies performed in the obstetrics and gynecology departments of these two hospitals. Hysterectomy is one of the surgical procedures most commonly performed in these departments (following cesarean deliveries), with frequency of 4.4% interventions. The profile of the women undergoing this surgery was that of a woman aged younger than 49 years (61%), married (75.7%), multiparous (33%), of childbearing age (61%), and with no history of abdominal or pelvic surgery (79.6%). Nearly all hysterectomies were total (95%, compared with 5% subtotal; the approach was abdominal in 82.25% of procedures and vaginal in 17.75%. The most common indication for surgery was uterine fibroids (39.6%), followed by genital prolapse (22.2%), and obstetric emergencies (17.8%). The average duration of surgery was 96 minutes for abdominal and 55 minutes for vaginal hysterectomies. The principal intraoperative complication was hemorrhage (12.31%), and the main postoperative complication parietal suppuration (21.02%). The average length of hospital stay was 10.3 days for abdominal hysterectomies and 7.15 days for vaginal procedures. We recorded 14 deaths for a lethality rate of 4.2%; most of these deaths were associated with hemorrhagic shock during or after an obstetric hysterectomy (93%). Hysterectomy remains a common intervention in developing countries. Its indications are common during the pregnancy and postpartum period, with high morbidity and mortality rates. Improving obstetric coverage could reduce its indications.