Optimizing V-NOTES hysterectomy: a comparative analysis of GelPoint and Glove techniques.

Abstract

Objectives: Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (V-NOTES) has emerged as a minimally invasive approach for hysterectomies, offering improved outcomes and patient satisfaction. Various techniques, including the GelPoint® and Glove methods, are used during V-NOTES procedures, each with potential advantages and drawbacks. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of the GelPoint® and Glove techniques in V-NOTES hysterectomy surgeries by evaluating their impact on surgical outcomes, complication rates, operative time, patient satisfaction, aesthetic results, and costs. This is a retrospective study analyzing data from patients who underwent V-NOTES hysterectomy between 2022 and 2024.

Material and methods: A total of 60 patients were included, divided into two groups based on the technique used: GelPoint (n = 30) and Glove (n = 30). Data on operative time, intraoperative and postoperative complications, hospital stay duration, aesthetic satisfaction, and costs were collected retrospectively.

Results: The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the GelPoint group (85 ± 12 minutes) compared to the Glove group (102 ± 15 minutes, p < 0.01). Postoperative complication rates were also lower in the GelPoint group (7%) than in the Glove group (15%, p < 0.05). The material cost for the Glove technique was 200 USD, whereas for the GelPoint technique, it was 500 USD.

Conclusions: Both GelPoint and Glove techniques are safe and effective for V-NOTES hysterectomies. The GelPoint technique is associated with shorter operative times and fewer complications, whereas the Glove technique provides a more cost-effective solution.