Impact of Power Morcellation and Histopathological Subtypes on the Development of Peritoneal Leiomyomatosis Following Laparoscopic Myomectomy
ABSTRACT
Aim
Laparoscopic myomectomy with power morcellation is a common approach for the management of uterine myomas. However, besides myoma recurrence, rare complications such as peritoneal leiomyomatosis may arise postoperatively. The histopathological subtype of fibroids—particularly cellular leiomyoma—may impact the risk of recurrence and dissemination, though current evidence remains limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of power morcellation on the development of disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis and to assess the association between the histopathological subtype of myoma and patient outcomes during follow‐up.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study analyzed 997 patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy with power morcellation at a single tertiary center between 2012 and 2024. Patients were followed through clinical evaluations and ultrasonography. Peritoneal leiomyomatosis was evaluated in relation to surgical technique (confined vs. unconfined morcellation) and histopathological subtype.
Results
Of the 553 patients with available follow‐up, myoma recurrence was observed in 130 (23.5%), reoperation in 53 (9.6%), and peritoneal leiomyomatosis in 8 patients (1.4%). All peritoneal leiomyomatosis cases occurred in the unconfined morcellation group. Cellular leiomyoma was identified in 5 of the 8 peritoneal leiomyomatosis cases (62.5%). One peritoneal leiomyomatosis case was diagnosed as leiomyosarcoma after surgery for disseminated leiomyomatosis. Overall myoma recurrence was significantly higher in patients with multiple myomas and in those with cellular leiomyoma.
Conclusion
Peritoneal leiomyomatosis is a rare complication of laparoscopic myomectomy and increased incidence after unconfined morcellation is a serious concern. Confined (in‐bag) morcellation appears to reduce the risk of peritoneal leiomyomatosis and should be the standard of care. Diagnosis of myomas as cellular leiomyoma subtype on histopathology merits high clinical suspicion for possibility of subsequent peritoneal leiomyomatosis in patients with unconfined morcellation. Therefore, close and long‐term follow‐up of these patients is essential.
