Vasopressin treatment prior to hysterectomy reduces blood loss, although pain is increased
FRIDAY, Feb. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Intracervical injection of the peptide hormone vasopressin prior to vaginal hysterectomy reduces blood loss but increases postoperative pain, according to research published in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
C.J. Ascher-Walsh, M.D., of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, and colleagues conducted a randomized study in 58 women undergoing a vaginal hysterectomy. Patients received either intracervical vasopressin or nothing prior to surgery. Surgeries were performed between 2004 and 2005, and were performed similarly.
Women who received vasopressin had significantly less blood loss during surgery compared with women who had no pretreatment (145.3 mL versus 266.4 mL), the researchers report. Vasopressin treatment also resulted in a significantly superior increase in mean blood pressure after five minutes post-injection (10.4 versus 2.5). However, women who received vasopressin used significantly more self-medicated morphine after surgery compared with the control group, the report indicates.
This study shows "the use of vasopressin in vaginal hysterectomy results in a significant decrease in blood loss," the authors conclude, adding that the drug "does not significantly affect operative time, nor does its use cause an increase in infection, but it may cause an increase in postoperative pain."
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